Over compliance with capecitabine oral chemotherapy.

CASE: A case study of a patient who over complied with adjuvant capecitabine monotherapy on several occasions is described. The patient suffered worsening side effects, predominantly palmar plantar erythrodysesthesia which resulted in dose reduction and delay. The patient had disregarded advice to stop taking the capecitabine as he perceived it as "important to fight his cancer". The patient refused review with a psychologist.
CONCLUSION: There is a lack of evidence regarding the issue of over compliance. Pharmacists should consider discussing patient's attitudes towards taking their medication and its importance to them in treating their cancer. Tools that are used to assess non-compliance could be utilised to identify patients who over comply. Further research is required to gain further understanding of the psychological factors behind patient's decisions to over comply with treatment.