Less is More

An article posted in NewsDaily, on March 16, 2012 by Bill Berkrot, proclaims that a surplus of patients taking a widely prescribed class of oral cancer drugs, kinase inhibitors, are also using a variety of medications that could reduce the effectiveness of the cancer treatment or increase its toxic side effects. The study found that 43 percent of patients taking the highly effective leukemia drug Gleevec http://news.healingwell.com/index.php?p=news1&id=522592 were also on another medicine that could diminish its efficacy, while 68 percent were taking something that could potentially raise the toxicity level. The medications that could potentially cause such adverse "drug-drug interactions" (DDI) include commonly used heartburn drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) , such as Nexium and Prevacid; steroids; a class of blood pressure and heart medications known as calcium channel blockers; and some antibiotics and antifungal treatments. Dr. Milayna Subar of Medco's Oncology Therapeutic Resource Center said “The fact that one-quarter to 75 percent of patients on these oral drugs may not be getting the full benefit of their treatment or may in fact be putting their health at further risk because of another medication they are taking is concerning.” Researchers are alarmed at the minimal communication between oncologist pharmacists and doctors; the patients are not getting the full benefit of the treatment due to no fault of their own. After the study took place, Medco, a pharmacy benefit manager that is in the process of being acquired by rival Express Scripts Inc, offers a Drug Utilization Review program under which its oncology pharmacists can alert doctors about potentially troubling medication interactions. In an article posted in HealthDayNews, E.J. Mundell informs readers of how fascinating and amazing Gleevec is.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="303" caption="People are seen on beds in a room at the National Cancer Research Center within the Institute for Oncology and Radiology in Belgrade"][/caption]