Table 1 Definitions of oncologists’ reasons for not recommending chemotherapy
Reasons oncologists did not recommend adjuvant chemotherapy | Definition |
|---|---|
Medical complications of surgery | Any medical incident during or just following surgery (e.g. myocardial infarction, stroke) |
Surgical complications of surgery | Any surgery related complication (e.g. delayed wound healing, wound infection, abscess) |
Co-morbidities | A medical condition or chronic disease preceding the onset of cancer and perceived by oncologist as a contraindication for chemotherapy (e.g. coronary heart disease, heart failure, kidney or liver failure) |
Frailty/Performance status | Generalized weakness or poor physical performance status |
Pharmacological concern | Potential drug-drug interaction between the adjuvant chemotherapeutic regimens and other drugs a patient is using for a chronic or incidental medical condition. Potential complication or adverse event of chemotherapy in a susceptible patient (e.g. vasospasm in a patient susceptible to coronary heart disease) |
No social network or support | Lack of social, emotional, or physical support |
Age | Patient age was the reason or one of the reasons for not recommending chemotherapy |
Disease progression | Progression of the cancer to stage IV by the time the patient had a consultation with the oncologist and/or prior to receiving post-surgical treatment |
Other | Reasons stated other than those listed above (e.g. non-conclusive staging at the time of consult) |
Unclear | Reason(s) for not recommending chemotherapy are vague and not clearly stated |