Background: This study aimed to explore factors affecting adherence to targeted therapy in patients with renal cell carcinoma, focusing on the fear of adverse drug reactions.
Methods: This retrospective case-control study selected patients with renal cancer who received targeted therapy at our hospital from June 2021 to April 2023, categorising them based on their adherence to oral targeted drugs.
Results: Patients with good compliance reported significantly lower levels of fear related to disease progression and adverse drug reactions (p < 0.05). This group showed greater perceived necessity of medication, fewer concerns about medication, and higher trust in their prescribed treatments (p < 0.05). Furthermore, while these patients rated their relationships with doctors lower, their perceptions were more positive overall (p < 0.05). Moreover, they reported more robust social support networks (p < 0.05). The heightened impact of the disease on their lives led them to adopt more proactive coping strategies (p < 0.05). The incidence of drug-related events at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months was significantly lower in the good compliance group than in the poor compliance group (p < 0.001). Fear of adverse drug reactions emerged as an independent predictor of compliance (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: Adherence to targeted cancer therapy is significantly influenced by fear of adverse drug reactions, with psychological factors, patient-provider relationships, and the personal impact of the disease playing crucial roles.
Keywords: adverse reactions; renal cell carcinoma; targeted therapy.
© 2024 The Author(s).