Adherence to tamoxifen in breast cancer patients: What role does the pharmacist play in German primary care?

Assessing the knowledge, attitudes and barriers regarding health promotion of breast cancer among community pharmacists

Aim

This study aimed to identify the perspective knowledge, attitudes, and barriers of community pharmacists in promoting breast cancer health.

Methods

An internet-based self-administrated questionnaire was distributed using social media groups to the community pharmacists in Jordan.

Results

A 76.7% of the pharmacists had insufficient knowledge score of breast cancer and 92.7% had positive attitude. Access to breast cancer educational materials was the major barrier to pharmacists. A significant association was found between pharmacists' knowledge and breast cancer educational materials being given to patients (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Despite the low breast cancer knowledge score and stated barriers that could prevent actualizing community pharmacists' role, they had positive attitude toward educating patients about breast cancer health.

Latest generation estrogen receptor degraders for the treatment of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer

INTRODUCTION

The selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) and full receptor antagonist provides an important therapeutic option for hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer. Endocrine therapies include tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), that exhibits receptor agonist and antagonist activity, and aromatase inhibitors that block estrogen biosynthesis but which demonstrate acquired resistance. Fulvestrant, the only currently approved SERD, is limited by poor drug-like properties. A key focus for improving disease management has been development of oral SERDs with optimized target occupancy and potency and superior clinical efficacy.

AREAS COVERED

Using PubMed, clinicaltrials.gov, and congress websites, this review explored the preclinical development and clinical pharmacokinetics from early phase clinical studies (2015 or later) of novel oral SERDs, including giredestrant, amcenestrant, camizestrant, elacestrant, and rintodestrant.

EXPERT OPINION

Numerous oral SERDs are in clinical development, aiming to form the core endocrine therapy for HR-positive breast cancer. Through property- and structure-based drug design of estrogen receptor-binding, antagonism, degradation, anti-proliferation, and pharmacokinetic properties, these SERDs have distinct profiles which impact clinical dosing, efficacy, and safety. Assuming preliminary safety and activity data are confirmed in phase 3 trials, these promising agents could further improve the management, outcomes, and quality of life in HR-positive breast cancer.

Pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and barriers toward breast cancer health promotion: a cross-sectional study in the Palestinian territories

BACKGROUND

Among all cancers, breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer and the leading cause of mortality among women in developing countries including Palestine. Community pharmacists are trusted and easily accessible healthcare providers who could be engaged in breast cancer health promotion. This study was conducted with the aim of exploring knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and barriers toward breast cancer health promotion among community pharmacists in the Palestinian territories.

METHODS

This study was conducted in a cross-sectional design using a questionnaire among community pharmacists. Knowledge of community pharmacists of breast cancer was tested using a 26-item knowledge test. Attitudes and beliefs of the community pharmacists with regard to breast cancer promotion were explored using 14 items. Barrier to breast cancer health promotion were explored using 9 items.

RESULTS

Data were collected from 200 community pharmacists. The median knowledge score was 69.2 % with and IQR of 15.2 %. Of the community pharmacists, 67.5 % scored 50 % and above in the knowledge test. Multivariate logistic regression showed that community pharmacists who were female in gender were more likely to score 50 % and above in the knowledge test compared to the community pharmacists who were male in gender (OR = 4.73, 95 % CI of 2.26-9.89). The community pharmacists had positive attitudes toward breast cancer health promotion. There was a significant moderate positive correlation between knowledge and attitudes scores (Spearman's rho = 0.37, p-value < 0.001). Lack of reimbursement, lack of enough personnel, lack of time, and fear of offending the patients were the main barriers to breast cancer health promotion (percentage of agreement > 60.0 %).

CONCLUSIONS

This study shed light on the role of community pharmacists in breast cancer health promotion. Pharmacists had good knowledge of breast cancer and positive attitudes toward promoting the health of patients with breast cancer. Further studies are still needed to determine how to integrate community pharmacists in the team of healthcare providers caring for patients with breast cancer.