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CHEMOTHERAPY MEETS HERBAL MEDICINE: NAVIGATING THE INTERACTION MAZE IN THORACIC ONCOLOGY

European Statement

Clinical Pharmacy Services

Author(s)

Margot DESCHAMPS, Nejib BORGAAOUI, Jimmy ROSE, Jennifer LE GRAND, Louise NICOLAS

Why was it done?

One of the clinical pharmacy activities in the thoracic oncology department is the analysis the interactions between chemotherapy and Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). Cancer patients often seek alternative treatments which requires a rigorous evaluation of potential interactions. The goal of this study is to assess the methods used to analyze these interactions.

What was done?

To ensure traceability of the analysis, a tracking table for requests was created. The requests, coming from doctors, nurses, or patients, are recorded with key information such as name, date of birth, and the purpose of the analysis. Five information sources were selected, including the Herbal Medicine section of MedlinePlus, the website of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), a database of plants and dietary supplements published by the French National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, a database from the European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy, and a publication from the journal Medical Oncology (Vol 36, number 45, 2019).

How was it done?

In nine months, 25 interaction requests were processed, 70% of which were from doctors. The analysis took an average of 30 minutes and were completed within 24 to 48 hours. The interactions mainly concerned oral chemotherapies (n=18), particularly Osimertinib (n=13). The requests involved various CAM (essential oils, medicinal plants, dietary supplements), with an average of four products per request. Desmodium was the most frequently analyzed product (n=5). In total, for 24 CAM, including Desmodium, was not recommended for use after analysis due the drug interaction risk and modification of liver metabolism of chemotherapies.

What has been achieved?

It is difficult to prohibit CAM to patients, and most substances can be taken at recommended doses. However, determining the precise dosage at which an interaction with chemotherapy occurs is complex due to the lack of a single reference. Using various sources allows for cross-referencing expertise and obtaining complementary information. For instance, MedlinePlus offers a generalist approach, while MSKCC focuses on interactions in oncology. Using international sources broadens the analysis and fills geographical or cultural gaps.

What next?

For the future, we would like to develop a tool that compiles the five data sources in order to be exhaustive in our future analysis.

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