Noncompliance with adjuvant radiation, chemotherapy, or hormonal therapy in breast cancer patients

Introduction There is little information on patient-driven noncompliance of adjuvant therapies and its consequences. Methods This retrospective study compares clinical, pathological features and outcomes of breast cancer patients who were compliant to recommended radiation, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapies to those who were noncompliant. Results Noncompliance rates for chemotherapy, radiation, and tamoxifen were 31 of 421 (7%), 30 of 855 (4%), and 294 of (37%) respectively. Old age was associated with noncompliance to chemotherapy and radiation, but younger women tend to be more often noncompliant to tamoxifen. Noncompliance with chemotherapy or radiation did not significantly affect 5-year local and distant disease-free survival rates. Noncompliance with tamoxifen was associated with decreased 5-year local and distant disease-free survivals (87% versus 96%, 76% versus 87%, respectively, P < .001). Conclusion Noncompliance with tamoxifen is the most common, resulting in significantly increased risk of local and distant disease recurrence.