Aims: 1) To examine the proportion of patients who received their preferred level of information about life expectancy; and 2) to identify demographic, disease, and cancer treatment associates of patients who received their preferred level of information about life expectancy

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was completed by a heterogeneous sample of 1741 medical oncology outpatients across 11 Australian cancer treatment centres. A total of 200 patients per treatment centre was planned for recruitment.  Patients were asked about the extent to which their preferences for life expectancy information aligned with their cancer care experiences.

Results:  Overall, 28% (95% CI: 26, 30%) of patients did not receive the level of life expectancy information that they wanted.  Almost a quarter (24%; 95% CI:22, 26%) of patients received too little information, and 4% (95% CI:3,5%) received too much information.  In contrast, 52% (95% CI:49,54%) of patients received all the information that they wanted, and 21% (95% CI:19,23%) neither wanted nor received information about their life expectancy.  After adjusting for covariates, patients who were less likely to receive their preferred level of life expectancy information were younger (p=0.017), diagnosed with a more advanced cancer (p=0.011), and were visiting the clinic to discuss treatment options or to receive treatment compared to those who had completed treatment (p=0.047).

Discussion: Life expectancy information is important to assist patients to make decisions about their medical care and to plan for the future. Our results suggest that there is room for improvement in the provision of life expectancy information to Australian medical oncology outpatients.  To tailor information to patient preferences, providers should routinely ask patients how much they wish to know about their life expectancy.