Treatment preferences of patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer: A discrete choice experiment.

Background: When faced with treatment options, patients are asked to participate in decision-making. We sought to determine which treatment aspects matter most for individuals treated for muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), with an aim to improve understanding of patient preferences and what trade-offs patients are willing to accept. Our study consisted of a discrete choice experiment (DCE): a type of questionnaire used to elicit preferences in the absence of real-world choice. Methods: The DCE had five attributives, each with three levels. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire in which they were asked to choose between two hypothetical MIBC treatments. The data were analysed using a conditional logit model, and preferences for, and trade-offs between, attributes were estimated. Results: We recruited patients with MIBC who had either already completed, were undergoing or had yet to commence radical treatment for MIBC ( Conclusion: When deciding on the type of treatment, increased life expectancy is the most important consideration for people with MIBC. The risk of long-term complications and changes to overall body image as a result of treatment are also important. Our study also highlighted that patients are willing to accept a higher risk of long-term complications to improve other treatment outcomes. Understanding patient preferences is important for shared decision-making, which has an impact on quality of care for people living with MIBC.