A Review on Drug-Drug Interactions Between Cancer Drugs

Abstract

Due to the limited therapeutic index and the intrinsic toxicity of anticancer drugs, drug reactions in oncology are of special concern. Interactions with other drugs could trigger slight differences in the chemotherapy agent's pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamic, which may dramatically affect its effectiveness or toxicity. Although precise data is lacking, drug-drug interactions are thought to be more common in oncology than in most other diseases. The identification of potentially clinically important drug reactions has been made possible by advances in in-vitro approaches and early clinical research. Patients with cancer typically take a variety of drugs to control symptoms such as pain and nausea. The types of drug interactions that arise in oncology, the pathways causing these interactions and selected examples are illustrated.