Oral Chemotherapy and Patient Safety

Oral chemotherapy is used widely to treat various cancers. These researchers used a written survey to determine the degree to which U.S. cancer centers adhere to common safety guidelines when prescribing oral chemotherapy.

Of 54 eligible centers, 42 (78%) responded to the survey. Prescribing practices varied considerably: Handwritten prescriptions predominated at 29 clinics, preprinted prescriptions at 2, and electronic orders at 6. For six commonly prescribed therapies, requirements to make a prescription also varied widely: 10 centers required a diagnosis, 11 required the protocol number, 4 required the cycle number, 9 required double-checking by a second physician, 14 required a calculation of body-surface area, and 14 required a calculat…