Objective: To explore patients' understanding of decision making in the treatment of advanced cancer and to determine the factors they believe important to these processes in their care.
Methods: Surveys were distributed to consecutive outpatients with advanced malignancy attending a comprehensive cancer treatment center.
Results: Patients believed that the medical condition (94%), their doctors' experience (81%), and the medical literature (73%) are the most important factors for decisions made in their care. They also value their relationship with the doctor (63%) and their own (the patients') values (63%), and just over a third considered their family's values and the doctors' personality important. Most did not believe the doctors' values should influence decisions made. They were mindful of the uncertainty involved in decisions in the setting of advanced cancer.
Significance of results: Overall, patients were satisfied with the decision-making processes and they understood and highly regarded the incorporation of factors, other than their medical condition, in their care.