The Symptom Experience While Taking Oral Anti-Cancer Medication (Chemotherapy or Targeted Agents) S. Spoelstra, PhD, RN 1 ; B. Given, PhD, RN, FAAN 1 ; M. Schueller, BA 1; K. Ridenour, Nurse Scholar 1 ; M. Hilton, RN 1 ; and C. W. Given, PhD 2 1 College of Nursing; 2 Family Medicine, at Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI Background Over 50-oral agents are on the market, and within three years, 25% of treatment will be in pill form, shifting responsibility for symptom management to the patients. Symptoms need to be managed so they do not become so severe that it leads to reducing or stopping the medication, potentially rendering the cancer treatment ineffective. A gap in the literature exists, with few studies reporting the symptom experience of patients taking oral agents. Prior to developing interventions for patients at the home setting who are on oral agents, we need to determine if symptoms are similar to those treated with IV chemotherapy. Framework A synthesized model from the:  Health Belief Model,  Theory of Reasoned Action, and  Social Cognitive Theory guided this study. Purpose To describe the symptoms experienced by patients prescribed oral agents for cancer treatment. Methods  Design: 5 phone interviews over 8-weeks  Weeks: 1, 2, 3, 4, & 8  Inclusion: 30-adults prescribed oral chemotherapy agent.  Recruitment: from 6-centers.  Data Collection: cancer site/stage, treatment, and symptom severity.  Data Analysis: Prevalence of occurrence. Implications Symptoms experienced in those prescribed oral agents are similar to those on IV chemotherapy. Clinicians can utilize evidence-based symptom management strategies developed for IV chemotherapy with patients prescribed oral agents. Results Nine types of oral agents were taken. Symptoms were experienced in 146 of 148 phone interviews. Mean of 5.3 of the 15 symptoms. Mean summed symptom severity score decreased from 25.3 at assessment 1 to 22.3 at assessment 5. No significance was found (paired t-test, t = 0.98, p = ). This research was supported by a grant entitled: Determining severity, interference, and number of days of symptoms from side effects in cancer patients prescribed oral chemotherapy agents, how comorbid conditions may influence symptoms, and patient actions and preferences in regard to symptom management; from the Walther Cancer Foundation, Indianapolis, IN Characteristics N=30 Mean Age (years)65 Gender Female (N)50% (15) Male (N)50% (15) Race Caucasian (N)83% (25) African American (N)17% (5) Mean # Symptoms (SD) Range 0— (2.8) Symptoms Fatigue83% (N=25) Pain83% (N=25) Numbness & tingling63% (N=19) Sleep disturbance53% (N=16) Diarrhea40% (N=12) Distress37% (N=11) Swelling of hands & feet37% (N=11) Lack of appetite33% (N=10) Shortness-of-breath33% (N=10) Redness, swelling, pain in hands & feet30% (N=9) Constipation23% (N=7) Skin rash/sores21% (N=6) Nausea/vomiting21% (N=6) Sores in mouth17% (N=5) Fluid retention14% (N=4) Dizziness 10% (N=3) Chemo brain10% (N=3) Weakness10% (N=3) Fever, Lymphadema, blood clots, weight gain, plugged ears 7% (N=2) A fall, chills, coughing, acid reflux, restless legs, thinning hair, elevated blood pressure, or facial muscles locked 4% (N=1)