Interní Med. 2009; 11(6): 294-298 [Onkologie. 2009:3(2):101-105]

Quality of life of patients receiving oral oncological treatment

Mgr. Zuzana Spurná¹, MUDr. Dagmar Brančíková², MUDr. Jana Katolická³

¹ Oddělení klinické psychologie FN u sv. Anny a Fakulta sociálních studií MU v Brně

² Komplexní onkologické centrum FN u sv. Anny, Brno

³ Oddělení klinické a radiační onkologie, FN u svaté Anny v Brně

The findings of numerous studies investigating oral chemotherapy in oncological patients have proved that patients prefer oral chemotherapy

to intravenous application. Advantages of oral chemotherapy mainly include patient comfort, possible continuous administration

without being limited by long-term hospitalization and related economic advantages for the health care facility, and good combinability

with radiotherapy. Another advantage of oral preparations is that they can be combined with parenteral agents in suitable regimens. Practical

disadvantages of oral treatment include a limited possibility of physician supervision over regular administration and having patients

with tablet phobia and allergies. Resorption and impaired biotransformation of the drug in the organism may also be of concern. The major

advantage of oral chemotherapy is that it provides the patients with very good quality oncological treatment while maintaining very good

quality of life in the so-called everyday lifestyle. This good quality of life during oncological treatment, in turn, results in a smaller degree of

mental stress and higher psycho-physiological balance in the organism, thus augmenting the overall efficacy of oncological treatment.

Keywords: quality of life, oral treatment, oncological treatment, psycho-oncology.

Published: July 1, 2009  Show citation