Sticking to the script: Breast cancer patients' decision making regarding oral endocrine therapy.

Objectives: We sought to understand why some women with early-stage breast cancer decide to forgo or discontinue endocrine therapy (ET), and to identify factors that might lead to greater acceptance of, and long-term adherence to, this treatment.

Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews with N = 53 stage I-III HR+ women who were either non-initiators of ET, initiators who discontinued or initiators who continued with variable daily patterns of adherence. An inductive content analysis was performed to explore the decision-making process of women prescribed ET.

Results: Qualitative analyses revealed 55 themes that drove complex decision making. The initiators generally trusted their physicians and did little research before starting the medication. Non-initiators were more suspicious of the medical system, believing that ET presented more risks than benefits. Most discontinuers stopped ET because of side effects. Both non-initiators and discontinuers indicated that push-back from their physicians could have changed their decision. Stories and social support were important in decision making.

Conclusions: Although ET can significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence, substantial barriers prevent many women from initiating or continuing it.

Practice Implications: Physicians have powerful influence over patients' decisions to initiate ET and can be important levers for motivating patients to persist.