MEDICATION RECONCILIATION AND PHARMACOTHERAPY SAFETY IN ONCOLOGY PATIENTS
Introduction: The prevalence of chronic diseases has increased significantly, leading to a growing population of pluripathological and polymedicated patients, particularly in oncology. These patients are highly susceptible to drug interactions, medication errors, and adverse events. Therefore, medication reconciliation is recognized as an essential strategy to ensure therapeutic safety. This process allows us to identify drug interactions and describe the main adverse events in oncology.
Methodology:
An observational and retrospective study was conducted based on the review of medication reconciliation protocols of oncology patients treated between January and May 2025. Patients aged 18 years and older were included. Data collected included age, sex, cancer diagnosis, comorbidities, medications used and identified drug interactions.
Results:
A total of 131 patients were analyzed, most of them female (69.5%), with a mean age of 48 years. The most frequent neoplasms were breast cancer (38.2%) and prostate cancer (12.9%). The average number of drugs per patient was six. Seventy-one drug interactions were identified (mean: two per patient), of which 68.1% were classified as severe. The most common interactions involved aprepitant–dexamethasone, ondansetron–chlorpheniramine, and dexamethasone–paclitaxel. The most frequently reported adverse events were nausea and vomiting (36.6%), vitamin D deficiency (28.2%), and gastritis/reflux (25.2%).
Conclusions:
The high frequency of drug interactions and adverse events observed highlights the need for a systematic medication reconciliation protocol in oncology patients. This practice supports the early detection of therapeutic discrepancies, prevents potentially serious adverse events, and enhances the safety and effectiveness of oncologic treatment.