Dados do Resumo

Título

The implementation of monitoring adherence to oral hormone therapy in breast cancer patients

Introdução

Cancer is one of the main public health problems worldwide and ranks among the four leading causes of premature death in most countries. Breast cancer is the type of cancer that most affects women. Among the therapeutic options available is oral hormone therapy, indicated for women with breast cancer that expresses hormone receptors. Adherence to treatment is a challenge for patients due to the need for prolonged use and side effects, and is a problem for health professionals.

Objetivo

To assess the impact of telephone contact on the process of adherence to treatment with oral hormone therapy.

Métodos

Prospective cohort study of breast cancer patients undergoing hormone therapy over a 12-month period. It was based on the Morisky-Green test to develop a questionnaire with sociodemographic and clinical variables, carried out by phonetic contact, adapted for a chat tool. The data collected was statistically analyzed and described using correlation tests between the variables.

Resultados

In relation to adherence to telephone contacts, in the first few months there were significant difficulties in meeting these contacts, which were made on a monthly basis. An electronic form was developed with the same questions proposed for monitoring, which was then applied using chat with the patients as an instrument. Adherence to contact using the new model improved significantly, from an average of 25.5% to 56.2% of responses. It was found that all the patients who reported forgetting to take the medication also reported adverse effects to the prescribed medication at some point during the 12 months.

Conclusões

It is concluded that the monitoring of cancer patients taking oral medication can and should be carried out through the various channels available, as they act as a reminder and alert for the fulfillment of the objectives and goals set, providing reports of adverse effects that may not have been identified previously and, consequently, are not being managed.

Palavras Chave

Antineoplastic Agents Hormonal; Breast Neoplasms; Medication Adeherence