Lack of patient-reported outcomes assessment in phase III breast cancer studies: a missed opportunity for informed decision making

A phase III study comparing capecitabine monotherapy to combination treatment with capecitabine and sunitinib in patients with metastatic breast cancer failed to demonstrate a benefit in terms of progression-free or overall survival. Both regimens were reasonably well tolerated with some differences noted in the specific toxicity profiles. However, the study failed to incorporate an assessment of patientreported outcomes (PROs) such as self-reported pain, quality of life, or employment outcomes. This is a missed opportunity. If more clinical trials included such measures, they would provide valuable information to patients and clinicians choosing from a wide array of available and otherwise similarly effective systemic therapies for metastatic breast cancer.