Gaetano Aurilio1, Stefania Gori2, Franco Nolè1, Giancarlo Pruneri3, Francesca Coati4, Valter Torri5, Gianluigi Lunardi2, Francesco Atzori6, Nicla La Verde7, Giuseppe Luigi Banna8, Antonio Rossi9, Lucia Del Mastro10, Francesca Di Fabio11, Ilaria Marcon12, Vittorio Gebbia13, Fotios Loupakis14, Laura Orlando15, Libero Ciuffreda16, Placido Amadio17, Gabriele Luppi18, Stefania Redana19, Gianfranco Filippelli20, Annalisa Gentile21, Elena Collovà22. 1. Medical Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan - Italy. 2. Department of Oncology, Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Verona - Italy. 3. Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, European Institute of Oncology, University of Milan School of Medicine, Milan - Italy. 4. Medical Oncology, Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Verona - Italy. 5. Oncology Department, Institute of Pharmacology Research "Mario Negri," Milan - Italy. 6. Medical Oncology, University Hospital, Cagliari - Italy. 7. Department of Oncology, AO Fatebenefratelli e Oftalmico, Milan - Italy. 8. Division of Medical Oncology, Cannizzaro Hospital, Catania - Italy. 9. Division of Medical Oncology, "S.G. Moscati" Hospital, Avellino - Italy. 10. Sviluppo Terapie Innovative, IRCCS AOU San Martino, Genova - Italy. 11. Medical Oncology, Policlinico S.Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna - Italy. 12. Medical Oncology, Ospedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi, Varese - Italy. 13. Medical Oncology, Università di Palermo, Palermo - Italy. 14. Medical Oncology, Polo Oncologico-Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa - Italy. 15. Medical Oncology & Breast Unit, Antonio Perrino Hospital, Brindisi - Italy. 16. S.C. Oncologia Medica, A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza-Molinette, Torino - Italy. 17. S.C. Oncologia Medica, ARNAS Garibaldi, Catania - Italy. 18. Day Hospital Oncologico, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria, Modena - Italy. 19. Oncologia Medica, FPO-IRCCS Università di Torino, Candiolo, Torino - Italy. 20. Oncologia Medica, P.O. di Paola-A.S.P. di Cosenza, Paola, Cosenza - Italy. 21. Medical Oncology, Ospedale Civile "Spirito Santo," Pescara - Italy. 22. Division of Medical Oncology, Hospital of Legnano, Legnano, Milan - Italy.
Abstract
AIM: To assess patient perception toward oral chemotherapy for solid tumors, the Italian Association of Medical Oncology performed a large multi-institutional national survey. METHODS: A 17-item anonymous questionnaire including 7 general and 10 investigational questions with free-text, single-choice, or multiple-choice answers was administered. Analysis of response distribution according to predefined factors was described by summary measures and conducted by χ2 test and other nonparametric tests. RESULTS: From January to June 2010, 581 patients completed the questionnaire; data of 404 patients constituted the final study sample. Three groups could be distinguished according to treatment: IV chemotherapy (IV group, n = 313), oral chemotherapy (oral group, n = 48), or combined therapy (combined group, n = 43). Thirty-one (72%) patients in the combined group and 187 (60%) in the IV group expressed preference for oral therapy (p = 0.028). Limitations in family and work commitment were more frequently perceived by patients on IV than oral chemotherapy (147 (47%) vs 14 (29%) patients, p<0.05, and 134 (43%) vs 11 (23%) patients, p<0.05). A total of 134 (43%) patients on IV chemotherapy versus 15 (31%) patients in the oral group did not point out any limitation for number of tablets per day (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: We observed a propensity from the patient perspective in favor of oral chemotherapy that was considered to have a lower impact on family and work commitments than IV chemotherapy. The treatment that patients were taking when the questionnaire was administered likely influenced their perception and related results.
AIM: To assess patient perception toward oral chemotherapy for solid tumors, the Italian Association of Medical Oncology performed a large multi-institutional national survey. METHODS: A 17-item anonymous questionnaire including 7 general and 10 investigational questions with free-text, single-choice, or multiple-choice answers was administered. Analysis of response distribution according to predefined factors was described by summary measures and conducted by χ2 test and other nonparametric tests. RESULTS: From January to June 2010, 581 patients completed the questionnaire; data of 404 patients constituted the final study sample. Three groups could be distinguished according to treatment: IV chemotherapy (IV group, n = 313), oral chemotherapy (oral group, n = 48), or combined therapy (combined group, n = 43). Thirty-one (72%) patients in the combined group and 187 (60%) in the IV group expressed preference for oral therapy (p = 0.028). Limitations in family and work commitment were more frequently perceived by patients on IV than oral chemotherapy (147 (47%) vs 14 (29%) patients, p<0.05, and 134 (43%) vs 11 (23%) patients, p<0.05). A total of 134 (43%) patients on IV chemotherapy versus 15 (31%) patients in the oral group did not point out any limitation for number of tablets per day (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: We observed a propensity from the patient perspective in favor of oral chemotherapy that was considered to have a lower impact on family and work commitments than IV chemotherapy. The treatment that patients were taking when the questionnaire was administered likely influenced their perception and related results.