Abstract

The study conducted at Treichville University Hospital in Ivory Coast aimed to establish the prescription profile of anti-cancer drugs in the oncology department, with the goal of enhancing knowledge and optimizing prescription practices for this serious pathology. This retrospective and descriptive cross-sectional study spanned six months, during which anti-cancer drug prescriptions were collected from patient files maintained by doctors. The majority of patients, predominantly women, were diagnosed with breast cancer (55.3%), with approximately 43.7% at the metastatic stage of the disease. Anti-cancer drug prescriptions were primarily handwritten by the primary prescriber (100%) and were computer-generated by prescribing doctors in 81% of cases. Out of the 19 criteria evaluated, 11 (57.89%) were found to be in compliant with recommendations. However, on the six handwritten prescriptions, eight criteria (42.10%) did not meet quality requirements, while on the 25 computer-generated prescriptions, four criteria (21.05%) were affected. The administration of chemotherapy within the oncology care units at Treichville University Hospital demonstrated that conventional drugs significantly improved patient health status. To enhance prescription safety and reduce adverse effects associated with these products, there is a need to improve the pharmacographic design of prescriptions, whether handwritten or computer-generated, and ensure compliance with norms. Efforts should be directed towards increasing awareness among the medical team regarding adherence to prescription recommendations. Additionally, health authorities should prioritize initiatives to improve the availability of anti-cancer drugs, ultimately contributing to enhanced patient safety.

Key words:  Cancer, care unit, antimitotic drugs, targeted therapies, pharmacographic norms.