title: Oral chemotherapy and patient perspective in solid tumors: a national survey by the Italian association of medical oncology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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&lt;0.05, and 134 (43%) vs 11 (23%) patients, p&lt;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.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan - Italy.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aurilio
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Verona - Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gori
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan - Italy.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nolè
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, European Institute of Oncology, University of Milan School of Medicine, Milan - Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pruneri
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Verona - Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Coati
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, Institute of Pharmacology Research "Mario Negri," Milan - Italy.
authors.forename: Valter
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Torri
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Verona - Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lunardi
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, University Hospital, Cagliari - Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Atzori
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, AO Fatebenefratelli e Oftalmico, Milan - Italy.
authors.forename: Nicla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: La Verde
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Cannizzaro Hospital, Catania - Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe Luigi
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Banna
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, "S.G. Moscati" Hospital, Avellino - Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Sviluppo Terapie Innovative, IRCCS AOU San Martino, Genova - Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Del Mastro
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Policlinico S.Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna - Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Fabio
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Ospedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi, Varese - Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marcon
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Università di Palermo, Palermo - Italy.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gebbia
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Polo Oncologico-Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa - Italy.
authors.forename: Fotios
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Loupakis
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology & Breast Unit, Antonio Perrino Hospital, Brindisi - Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Orlando
authors.affiliation: S.C. Oncologia Medica, A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza-Molinette, Torino - Italy.
authors.forename: Libero
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ciuffreda
authors.affiliation: S.C. Oncologia Medica, ARNAS Garibaldi, Catania - Italy.
authors.forename: Placido
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Amadio
authors.affiliation: Day Hospital Oncologico, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria, Modena - Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luppi
authors.affiliation: Oncologia Medica, FPO-IRCCS Università di Torino, Candiolo, Torino - Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Redana
authors.affiliation: Oncologia Medica, P.O. di Paola-A.S.P. di Cosenza, Paola, Cosenza - Italy.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Filippelli
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Ospedale Civile "Spirito Santo," Pescara - Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Hospital of Legnano, Legnano, Milan - Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Collovà
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires