Staying on Track With Daily Cancer Medicines

Many cancer treatments are now daily tablets. Tamoxifen, letrozole and anastrozole are often taken for five years or more after breast cancer, and imatinib is taken every day for chronic myeloid leukaemia. Keeping a steady routine matters as much as the tablet.

Small habits help: take your tablet at the same time each day, keep a pill organiser, and set a phone reminder. If you miss a dose, check the patient leaflet and never take two at once. Weekly methotrexate is the exception: for arthritis and psoriasis it is taken once a week, not daily.

To read more about day-to-day life on treatment, this article covers routines, side effects and questions for your oncologist.

What you may notice: hot flushes, joint stiffness and tiredness are common with hormone tablets. Letrozole and anastrozole can thin the bones, so many people have bone scans and advice on calcium and vitamin D. Tell your care team about chest click here pain, sudden breathlessness, leg swelling or unusual bleeding promptly.

Order ahead. Reorder when you still have two or three weeks of tablets left, so a delay never causes a gap. Generic versions contain the same active ingredient as the brands and can make long-term treatment more affordable. A valid prescription is required for every order of a prescription medicine.

More detail is available on this page.

This article is for general information only. Always check with your oncology team before making any change.