Prescription drug coverage plays a critical role in hormonal therapy initiation and continuation, independent of health insurance coverage, according to a study of 712 women aged 20 to 79 years who were diagnosed with stage I to III breast cancer. Researchers found:

• Women who had prescription drug coverage were more likely (OR=2.91) to initiate hormonal therapy vs women without coverage.

• Women with prescription drug coverage were also more likely to continue hormonal therapy (OR=2.23).

• Women with the lowest income were less likely (OR=0.55) to continue hormonal therapy vs women with household income exceeding $70,000/year.

Citation: Bradley CJ, Dahman B, Jagsi R, Katz S, Hawley S. Prescription drug coverage: implications for hormonal therapy adherence in women diagnosed with breast cancer. [Published online ahead of print November 9, 2015]. Breast Cancer Res Treat. doi: 10.1007/s10549-015-3630-x.