Pharmacists' practices and views regarding management of sexual health in patients with cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Sexual health issues associated with cancer can significantly impact patients' psychosocial well-being and overall quality of life. These issues are frequently medication-related, placing pharmacists in an opportune position to manage sexual health concerns in patients with cancer. Currently, no literature exists exploring pharmacists' practices related to the management of sexual health in oncology patients. METHODS: An anonymous, descriptive, cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted to elicit pharmacists' views and practices regarding managing sexual health in oncology patients. Pharmacists practicing in Canada who provide care to adult malignant hematology or oncology patients were eligible to participate. The survey was disseminated through the Canadian Association of Pharmacy in Oncology and through informal oncology pharmacy practitioner networks. RESULTS: Of the 102 pharmacists who participated, 96 completed the survey in its entirety. Most respondents were female, practiced in Alberta, and primarily saw oncology patients in outpatient cancer facilities. Although 85% of participants felt pharmacists should be involved in giving patients an opportunity to discuss sexual health, only 8% reported managing sexual health in at least 50% of their oncology patients. The most commonly agreed upon barriers to this were presence of family members and friends at appointments, lack of knowledge or training, limited time, and the belief that sexual health is not applicable to all oncology patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study explored pharmacists' views and practices regarding managing sexual health in patients with cancer. Several barriers were identified, which may aid in future development of resources to assist pharmacists in routinely addressing sexual health in oncology patients.

Real world evidence: Abiraterone use post-docetaxel in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVES: The COU-AA-301 trial demonstrated that in men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer using abiraterone post-docetaxel increased overall survival. This study aims to assess this conclusion in a real world context. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review of a provincial Pharmacy BDM Database (a pharmacy dispensing software) and a provincial Electronic Chart (ARIA). Dispensing data, information on the state of the disease before and after abiraterone use, and information regarding effects of abiraterone were gathered. SETTING: Cancer centers in Alberta, Canada. PATIENTS: Metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients on abiraterone outside of a clinical trial who have previously had docetaxel chemotherapy for CRPC between February 2012 and May 2014. PRIMARY OUTCOME: Overall survival from the time of abiraterone initiation. RESULTS: Overall survival increase of 17 months was consistent with the survival increase of 14.8 months observed in the pivotal trial. CONCLUSION: Abiraterone is a valuable therapy post-docetaxel for metastatic CRPC, as in a real world context it demonstrated an increase in overall survival that was consistent with the findings of the clinical trial despite including a patient population of older age and lower performance status.

Developing and evaluating a patient decision aid for hormone therapy to manage symptoms of surgical menopause: the story behind the "SheEmpowers" patient decision aid.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and evaluate an evidence-based patient decision aid (PDA) that can support women making decisions on hormone therapy (HT) for the management of early surgical menopause. METHODS: The PDA development was guided by the Ottawa Decision Support Framework and the International Patient Decision Aid Standards and involved three phases: an exploratory phase to identify women's decisional needs; a development phase to identify evidence related to treatment options and draft initial prototype; and an evaluation phase to evaluate the prototype and elicit views on acceptability in women (N = 12). All phases were driven by a multidisciplinary group of researchers, clinicians, and patient stakeholders to ensure women's priorities were met. RESULTS: A prototype PDA was drafted based on needs identified from the exploratory phase. The PDA has five domains: information on surgical menopause and HT; HT outcome probabilities; patient stories; values clarification; and guidance in deliberation. Participants in the evaluation phase perceived the tool as acceptable and offered suggestions for modifications. CONCLUSION: Through our adopted, systematic approach the SheEmpowers PDA was developed to help women overcome deterrents to decision-making related to lack of knowledge, decision-making skills, and involvement in therapy decisions. The decisional effectiveness of the tool is to be assessed in future studies.