Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26921292›Full record

SynthesisThe oncologist2016

A Systematic Review of Adherence to Oral Antineoplastic Therapies.

Joseph A Greer, Nicole Amoyal, Lauren Nisotel, Joel N Fishbein, James MacDonald, Jamie Stagl, Inga Lennes, Jennifer S Temel, Steven A Safren, William F Pirl

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The oncologist, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 180 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
180citing papers in PubMed, 9 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

180 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. The effect of healthcare professional-implemented interventions on adherence to oral targeted therapy in patients with cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Pooled it
  4. Effectiveness of mHealth apps on adherence and symptoms to oral anticancer medications: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024
    Pooled it
  5. Self-care behaviors in patients with cancer treated with oral anticancer agents: a systematic review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2022
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  18. Psychometric evaluation of the PROMISJournal of patient-reported outcomes · 2026
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120 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Joseph A GreerMassachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA jgreer2@mgh.harvard.edu.
Nicole AmoyalMassachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Lauren NisotelMassachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Joel N FishbeinMassachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
James MacDonaldMassachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Jamie StaglMassachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Inga LennesMassachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Jennifer S TemelMassachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Steven A SafrenUniversity of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA.
William F PirlMassachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOral antineoplastic therapies not only improve survival but also reduce the burden of care for patients. Yet patients and clinicians face new challenges in managing adherence to these oral therapies. We conducted a systematic literature review to assess rates and correlates of adherence to oral antineoplastic therapies and interventions aimed at improving adherence.

methodsFollowing Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, we conducted a comprehensive literature search of the Ovid MEDLINE database from January 1, 2003 to June 30, 2015, using relevant terminology for oral antineoplastic agents. We included observational, database, and intervention studies. At least two researchers evaluated each paper to ensure accuracy of results and determine risk of bias.

resultsWe identified 927 records from the search and screened 214 abstracts. After conducting a full-text review of 167 papers, we included in the final sample 51 papers on rates/correlates of adherence to oral antineoplastic therapy and 12 papers on intervention studies to improve adherence. Rates of adherence varied widely, from 46% to 100%, depending on patient sample, medication type, follow-up period, assessment measure, and calculation of adherence. Of the intervention studies, only 1 of the randomized trials and 2 of the cohort studies showed benefit regarding adherence, with the majority suffering high risk of bias.

conclusionsAlthough no reliable estimate of adherence to oral antineoplastic therapies can be gleaned from the literature, a substantial proportion of patients struggle to adhere to these medications as prescribed. The few intervention studies for adherence have notable methodological concerns, thereby limiting the evidence to guide practice in promoting medication adherence among patients with cancer.

Indexed as

Drug MonitoringAntineoplastic AgentsHumansNeoplasmsAntineoplastic AgentsAntineoplastic agentsChemotherapyEndocrine therapyMedication adherenceOral drug administrationPatient adherence

Identifiers

PMID26921292
PMCPMC4786357

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.