Oral Chemotherapy Food and Drug Interactions: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature

Introduction: Oral chemotherapy is rapidly becoming a popular dosage form for cancer treatment. These medications have a narrow therapeutic index, and their metabolism can be easily affected by food and/or drug interactions. These interactions can significantly reduce the effectiveness of oral chemotherapy, which could possibly result in harm to patients. Methods: A systematic evaluation of 58 oral chemotherapeutics was conducted. Drug and food interactions were analyzed using US Food and Drug Administration-approved product labeling, primary literature, and tertiary databases. Results: Our evaluation identified information about drug and food interactions. We present the recommended dose adjustments in our article. Conclusion: Oral chemotherapy is associated with a significant number of medication and food interactions. It is essential that health care providers evaluate patients' diet and concurrent medications to provide accurate patient education, therapeutic monitoring, and, if necessary, alternative recommendations whenever oral chemotherapy is prescribed.