Table 3.
Challenges and motivators to choosing therapy among non-small cell lung cancer survey participants (n = 77)
| Challenges and motivators | Was a challenge or motivator | Not reported (n) | Level of influencea | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very influential for decision | Somewhat influential for decision | Influence level not reported | |||||||
| n | % | n | % | n | % | n | % | ||
| Challenges | |||||||||
| Lack of information on MT | 12 | 15.6 | 1 | 2 | 16.7 | 6 | 50.0 | 4 | 33.3 |
| Concern that MT will not be able to shrink existing tumor | 15 | 19.5 | 2 | 2 | 13.3 | 13 | 86.7 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Concern that MT will not be able to extend life | 14 | 18.4 | 2 | 4 | 28.6 | 9 | 64.3 | 1 | 7.1 |
| Duration of MT | 13 | 16.9 | 2 | 5 | 35.7 | 8 | 57.1 | 1 | 7.1 |
| Frequency of MT | 13 | 16.9 | 3 | 4 | 26.7 | 10 | 66.7 | 1 | 6.7 |
| Non-medical costs associated with MT (e.g., childcare, transportation) | 12 | 15.6 | 2 | 2 | 16.7 | 8 | 66.7 | 2 | 16.7 |
| Medical costs associated with MT | 14 | 18.2 | 1 | 5 | 33.3 | 9 | 60.0 | 1 | 6.7 |
| Distance to treatment center | 7 | 9.3 | 2 | 2 | 28.6 | 5 | 71.4 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Severity of adverse effects of MT | 26 | 33.8 | 3 | 3 | 12.0 | 15 | 60.0 | 8 | 30.8 |
| Impact on quality of life | 20 | 26.0 | 1 | 4 | 20.0 | 16 | 80.0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Lack of support from family and friends | 6 | 7.8 | 1 | 2 | 33.3 | 3 | 50.0 | 1 | 16.7 |
| Lack of support from oncologist | 4 | 5.2 | 0 | 2 | 25.0 | 2 | 25.0 | 4 | 50.0 |
| Obligations to family (spouse, partner, dependents) | 7 | 9.1 | 1 | 2 | 28.6 | 5 | 71.4 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 8 | 10.4 | |||||||
| Motivators | |||||||||
| Desire to control lung cancer | 72 | 93.5 | 0 | 60 | 83.3 | 10 | 13.9 | 1 | 1.4 |
| Desire to be proactive against lung cancer | 74 | 96.1 | 2 | 60 | 81.1 | 12 | 16.2 | 1 | 1.4 |
| MT’s ability to stop tumor growth | 72 | 93.5 | 0 | 62 | 86.1 | 9 | 12.5 | 0 | 0.0 |
| MT’s ability to extend life | 75 | 97.4 | 0 | 62 | 82.7 | 11 | 14.7 | 1 | 1.3 |
| Obligations to family (spouse, partner, dependents) | 66 | 85.7 | 0 | 55 | 83.3 | 9 | 13.6 | 1 | 1.5 |
| Desire to follow oncologist’s treatment recommendations | 72 | 93.5 | 0 | 55 | 76.4 | 13 | 18.1 | 3 | 4.2 |
| Fear of death | 45 | 58.4 | 0 | 35 | 77.8 | 10 | 22.2 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Support of family and friends | 70 | 90.9 | 0 | 49 | 70.0 | 20 | 28.6 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Support of oncologist | 72 | 93.5 | 0 | 54 | 75.0 | 17 | 23.6 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 22 | 28.6 | |||||||
MT maintenance therapy
aLevel of influence of each motivator and challenge was among those that indicated the motivator and challenge was present