ABSTRACT
In recent years, the system for providing home medical care and palliative care has been improved, and the number of cancer patients who are treated at home until the end is increasing. The aim of this study was to investigate the circumstances of cancer patients who died at home and the presence of doctors and nurses at the moment of death. We conducted a prospective survey of end-oflife cancer patients receiving home visits from home care and palliative care clinics in Japan from 1st July to 31st December 2017. During the study period, we analyzed the mortality status of 676 patients who died in their homes, serviced by 45 clinics. Of these patients, 91% were living with families, 49% died on holidays or at night, and the doctor and nurse was present at the time of death in only 5.6% and 9.9% of cases, respectively. Most of the patients who died at home lived with their families, with few doctors and nurses present at the time of their patients’ death.