Considerations when choosing oral chemotherapy: identifying and responding to patient need

Oral chemotherapeutics are becoming increasingly accepted for the treatment of cancers and their future has never been brighter. They offer a more convenient and less invasive therapeutic option, moving cancer treatment from a predominantly hospital-based day unit into the ambulatory setting. Oral chemotherapy has the potential to maintain patient's quality of life and avoid the complications and costs of intravenous chemotherapy. It offers sustained drug exposure by providing prolonged therapy compared with intermittent IV exposure and lends itself more easily to the delivery of combination therapy. In this article we highlight the expansion of oral chemotherapeutic drug development in cancer treatment and the challenges posed by this change in treatment delivery.