A growing number of cancer treatments are now taken by mouth at home. Letrozole, anastrozole and tamoxifen are often taken for five years or more after breast cancer, and imatinib is taken every day for chronic myeloid leukaemia. Keeping a steady routine matters as much as the tablet.

Build a simple routine: take your tablet at the same time each day, keep a pill organiser, and set an alarm. If you miss a dose, follow your leaflet and never take two at once. Weekly methotrexate is the exception: for arthritis and psoriasis it is taken once a week, not daily.

To read more about day-to-day life on treatment, this article walks through the essentials.

What you may notice: hot flushes, joint stiffness and tiredness are common with hormone tablets. Aromatase inhibitors can thin the bones, so many people have bone scans and regular check-ups. Tell your care team about chest pain, sudden breathlessness, leg swelling or unusual bleeding straight away.

Never run out. Reorder when you still have two or three weeks of tablets left, so a delay never methotrexate price interrupts treatment. Generic versions contain the same active ingredient as the brands and can make long-term treatment more affordable. A valid prescription is required for every order of a prescription medicine.

There is more information in this guide.

This is general information, not medical advice. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before starting any medicine.