Enteral tube administration of oral chemotherapy drugs

Patients receiving oral chemotherapies face treatment interruptions if they require placement of an enteral tube for nutrition, potentially leading to adverse outcomes in cancer treatment. Enteral tube medication administration can provide a suitable alternative. The purpose of this review is to compile available data that describe enteral tube administration of oral chemotherapy agents. Data sources: A systematic evaluation of all Food and Drug Administration-approved oral chemotherapy agents through 31 July 2019 was conducted. Information on crushing or opening of the tablet or capsule, enteral tube administration, and extemporaneous formulations was compiled from the prescribing information, tertiary resources, and primary literature. Drug manufacturers were contacted for additional information. Data summary: A total of 87 oral chemotherapy agents were evaluated. Of the 87 drugs, 33 agents (37.9%) had information regarding enteral tube administration with only four drugs with nasogastric or gastric tube administration instructions in their prescribing information. The strength of evidence varied from non-peer reviewed data to complete evaluations of efficacy and safety. The majority of chemotherapies (62%) had no available data on enteral tube administration.

The results of this review suggest that there is limited data surrounding enteral tube administration of most oral chemotherapies, demonstrating the need for more studies to be conducted to provide more guidance to healthcare providers when administration via an enteral tube is needed in their patients.