Hiroyuki Kamei

© 2015 The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. We performed a survey of cancer patients’ needs for drug treatment and support from pharmacists during treatment and evaluated the support that cancer patients can expect from community pharmacists in the future. The patients consisted of 16 members of the Cancer Patient Association in Aichi prefecture who underwent chemotherapy. The results of a semistructured group interview were qualitatively analyzed using the grounded theory method. Patients undergoing chemotherapy had high hopes for its effectiveness but were worried about side effects and medical costs. To overcome these problems, they hoped for a decrease in the economic burden, compassionate-use system, and development of novel drugs. The patients had anxiety because the side effects of chemotherapy often caused physical and psychological damage. Despite patients’ confusion, pharmacists sometimes did not give adequate explanations to them. The patients expected more from pharmacists regarding medication support and hoped for a system allowing continuous side effect monitoring and consultation without hesitation. For patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy who are confused re