BACKGROUND:

Endocrine therapies for advanced breast cancer include tablets and intramuscular injections. When treatments have similar efficacy and tolerability profiles, addressing preferences about routes of administration is important.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Two hundred and eight women>2 years post-breast cancer diagnosis were interviewed about their preferences for daily tablets or monthly intramuscular injections. Health-care professionals treating the women estimated patients' preferences.

RESULTS:

Sixty-three per cent of patients preferred tablets, 24.5% preferred the injection and 12.5% had no preference. The most cited reasons for tablet preference were convenience and dislike of needles; for injection preference, adherence and convenience. Variables associated with preferences were body mass index, educational level, attitudes towards injections and efficacy perceptions. Estimates about patients' preferences by health-care professionals varied widely. When asked to imagine scenarios where injections produced fewer hot flushes, or where two injections monthly improved efficacy, injection preference increased to 60.6% and 74.5%, respectively. Disturbingly, approximately 50% of patients admitted they sometimes forgot or chose not to take their current oral medication.

CONCLUSIONS:

The majority of breast cancer patients preferred hormone therapy via daily tablets rather than monthly injections. Information about side-effects or improved efficacy altered these preferences. Adherence to treatment cannot be assumed; patients' preferences about drug administration may influence this.