Patterns of medication use following breast cancer diagnosis: an Australian population-based study.
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Date
2025
Authors
Ng, H.S.
Johansen, C.
Li, M.
Roder, D.
Beckmann, K.
Koczwara, B.
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Supportive Care in Cancer, 2025; 33(8, article no. 668):1-11
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Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to examine patterns of medication use and polypharmacy following breast cancer diagnosis.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study used breast cancer data from the South Australian Cancer Registry linked with medication dispensing records, death registry, and inpatient hospital records. Women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between July 2012 and March 2014 were followed for 5 years from diagnosis. All medications were defined using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification, and patterns of use were analysed in one-yearly intervals. The changes in the use of medications and polypharmacy (≥ 5 concomitant medications versus not) from Year-2 to Year-5 of breast cancer diagnosis were examined using generalised estimating equations models with binary logistic distribution.
Results: The study included 2005 women (mean age = 61.1 years). The use of endocrine therapy for breast cancer decreased over time (odds ratio (OR) 0.88; 95%CI = 0.86–0.90). In contrast, the likelihood of being dispensed specific cardiovascular medicines increased with each successive time period including agents acting on renin-angiotensin system (OR 1.03;95%CI = 1.01–1.05), lipid-modifying agents (OR 1.06; 95%CI = 1.03–1.08), beta-blockers (OR 1.08; 95%CI = 1.04–1.11),and cardiac therapy (OR 1.12; 95%CI = 1.06–1.18). There was an increased likelihood of polypharmacy over time (OR 1.08;95%CI = 1.04–1.11) with the prevalence ranging from 25% (Year 2) to 29% (Year 5). Several characteristics were associated with polypharmacy including older age, a lower socioeconomic status, and a higher burden of comorbidities.
Conclusion: The use of several medication classes increased over time suggesting development of new comorbidities and higher likelihood of polypharmacy. Medication management in breast cancer survivors offers potential to identify those with complex needs of polypharmacy and comorbidity.
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Data source: Supplementary information, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-025-09732-y
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Copyright 2025 The Author(s) This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)