Perception that oral anticancer treatments are less efficacious: Development of a questionnaire to assess the possible prejudices of patients with cancer

We developed and pilot tested a 12-item questionnaire, to approach the issue of patients' perception on efficacy of oral chemotherapy. An additional question was on 'trade-off' between treatment efficacy and the ease of oral administration. The motivating underlying hypothesis was that oral drugs might be perceived by patients as less effective than when drugs were delivered by injection. The questionnaire was given to 59 patients with advanced breast cancer who received oral chemotherapy. Ninety-percent of patients considered clear and completed the questionnaire. Oral chemotherapy was positively viewed by most patients, perceiving it as advantageous (58%), able to help them feel less ill (77%) and to reduce the effort in coping with the disease (67%). The most important feeling elicited was the sense of freedom. Younger patients (