Table 3.
Self-Reported Reasons for and Decision Making About AI or Tamoxifen Discontinuation
| Self-Report | AI Discontinuers (n = 55)* |
Tamoxifen Discontinuers (n = 76)* |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | |
| Reason for discontinuation† | ||||
| Did not like adverse effects | 32 | 66.7 | 39 | 59.1 |
| Decreased quality of life | 21 | 43.8 | 23 | 33.8 |
| Switched from AI to tamoxifen (or vice versa) | 14 | 29.8 | 23 | 35.4 |
| Did not think AIs or tamoxifen were helping | 9 | 20.9 | 17 | 27.9 |
| Developed a medical condition and not safe to stay on AIs or tamoxifen | 5 | 10.6 | 11 | 17.2 |
| Medication cost too much | 7 | 14.3 | 1 | 1.5 |
| Had too many medications to take | 3 | 6.4 | 2 | 3.1 |
| Began a treatment that made it unsafe to stay on AIs or tamoxifen | 2 | 4.2 | 4 | 6.1 |
| Diagnosed with another case of breast cancer | 2 | 4.3 | 2 | 3.1 |
| Diagnosed with a different kind of cancer | 0 | 0.0 | 2 | 3.1 |
| Decision making | ||||
| Decided by myself to stop | 15 | 27.3 | 20 | 26.3 |
| Health care provider decided I should stop | 15 | 27.3 | 21 | 27.3 |
| Health care provider and I decided together I should stop | 21 | 38.2 | 35 | 46.1 |
| None of the above | 4 | 7.2 | 0 | 0.0 |
Abbreviation: AI, aromatase inhibitor.
*
AI and tamoxifen discontinuers are not mutually exclusive.
†
Reasons are not mutually exclusive.