BACKGROUND: Long-acting somatostatin analogs (LA SSAs) are approved and recommended for the treatment of patients with advanced neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Given the long duration of therapy and differences in administration routes, it is important to understand patients' experiences with receiving LA SSA injections.
METHODS: We conducted a serial survey, informed by qualitative interviews with eight patients treated with LA SSAs and two nurses who administer LA SSA injections, among patients undergoing LA SSA treatment over a 28-day period (administered at baseline and 14 days and 28 days after injection). Eligible patients, recruited by the Carcinoid Cancer Foundation, self-reported having received an LA SSA injection for physician-diagnosed NET within the 5 days before the survey.
RESULTS: 202 patients completed the survey at baseline (82 receiving lanreotide and 120 receiving octreotide), 148 at day 14, and 124 at day 28. Patients reported consistently high satisfaction levels with their most recent LA SSA injection (91.1% at baseline, 85.1% at day 14, and 85.5% at day 28); 68.8% reported that their injection experience differed based on the nursing staff administering the injection.
CONCLUSIONS: Satisfaction with LA SSA injections is high among patients in this population, and specific experiences with LA SSA injections varied based on the nursing staff administering the injection. Evaluations of patients' experiences and satisfaction with treatment are increasingly important as patients take more active roles in decision-making for their treatment pathways.
