Medicines for Cancer Care

About Cancer Care

Cancer is a group of diseases in which abnormal cells grow out of control and can spread to other parts of the body. Common cancers in Pakistan include breast, mouth, lung, liver, blood and prostate cancer.

Treatment is planned by a cancer specialist (oncologist) and may include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy or targeted medicines, alongside supportive care for side effects.

Medicines used for Cancer Care

Cancer medicines are specialist prescription medicines. They include hormone therapies such as tamoxifen, letrozole and anastrozole for breast cancer, oral chemotherapy such as capecitabine, targeted medicines such as imatinib, and methotrexate. Supportive medicines help with treatment side effects: ondansetron for nausea after chemotherapy, filgrastim for low white blood cell counts and zoledronic acid for bone problems.

Many of these medicines need careful storage, regular blood tests and exact dosing, so order them only against your oncologist's prescription.

When to see a doctor

Contact your cancer team or go to hospital straight away if you have a fever of 38°C or more during chemotherapy, bleeding, severe vomiting, breathlessness or new severe pain. See a doctor about any lump, unexplained weight loss, a sore that does not heal or blood in urine, stool or cough.

This page is for general information only. Many of these medicines need a prescription; please use them only on the advice of a doctor or pharmacist, who can choose the right medicine and dose for you.