Table 2.
Positive attributes associated with oral administration reported by patients with cancer
| Attribute | Description of attribute | Study sample |
|---|---|---|
| Able to take at home8,16,24 | Ability to receive treatment at home | Patients with metastatic breast cancer;16 patients with a primary diagnosis of lymphoma, breast, colorectal, gynecologic, lung, or other cancer;8 patients with colorectal cancer24 |
| Convenience8,16,21 | Treatment regarded as a more convenient way of taking medication | Patients with metastatic breast cancer;16 patients with a primary diagnosis of lymphoma, breast, colorectal, gynecologic, lung, or other cancer;8 patients with ovarian cancer21 |
| Desire to continue working16 | Desire to continue one’s job during treatment | Patients with metastatic breast cancer |
| No contraindications16 | The lack of contraindications associated with IV or combined treatment | Patients with metastatic breast cancer |
| Previous issues with IV treatment8 | Description of attribute not reported | Patients with a primary diagnosis of lymphoma, breast, colorectal, gynecologic, lung, or other cancer |
| Problems with IV access and needles8 | Issues such as “pain and difficulty starting an IV line” | Patients with a primary diagnosis of lymphoma, breast, colorectal, gynecologic, lung, or other cancer |
| Travel8 | Description of attribute not reported | Patients with a primary diagnosis of lymphoma, breast, colorectal, gynecologic, lung, or other cancer |
| Place of treatment17 | Description of attribute not reported | Postmenopausal patients with early ER+/HER2− breast cancer |
| Efficacy21 | Perception that oral mode of administration for treatment was efficacious | Patients with ovarian cancer |
| Personal benefit22 | Description of attribute not reported | Patients with breast cancer |
| Impact on daily life and relationships22 | Oral chemotherapy has less of impact on one’s daily life and family than IV treatment | Patients with breast cancer |
| Coping22 | Oral chemotherapy makes it easier to cope with one’s disease | Patients with breast cancer |
| Autonomy22 | Oral chemotherapy makes it easier to handle the disease by providing patients with more autonomy outside the clinic | Patients with breast cancer |
| Side effects22 | Oral chemotherapy perceived to have fewer side effects and to make patients less ill compared to IV treatment | Patients with breast cancer |
| Mode of administration24 | Preference for treatment in pill form | Patients with colorectal cancer |
Abbreviations: IV, intravenous; ER+, estrogen receptor-positive; HER2−, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative.