Patients with cancer and hospital admissions: disease trajectory and strategic choices.
BMJ Support Palliat Care
; 2023 Sep 13.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37704262
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
Hospital admission (HA) in cancer history is a common, repeated and frequently unplanned event. The emergency departments (EDs) and the oncological outpatient service (OOS) are the ordinary way of entry. We studied the reasons of admission, pathways of access and discharge and prognostic factors in a population of admitted patients with cancer.METHODS:
The health records of the admitted patients in the oncological ward of a referral hospital in a 6-month period were retrieved and analysed. The characteristics of those admitted in the last 3 months of life were compared with the other group.RESULTS:
Among the 147 HA, 79.5% were unplanned, 48.9% passing through the ED and 30.6% through the OOS; 56.5% were due to cancer-related symptoms; 50.3% occurred in the last 3 months of life. Median overall survival was 90 days (95% IC 53.1-126.9). Independent prognostic factors for survival were being admitted for symptoms, referral through the ED and not being discharged at home.CONCLUSIONS:
Hospital is a turning point in the cancer care pathway. Patients needing HA have a dismal prognosis, half of them being in the last 3 months of life. This group can be identified using universally available variables.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Tipo de estudio:
Guideline
/
Prognostic_studies
Idioma:
En
Revista:
BMJ Support Palliat Care
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Italia