Abstract
PURPOSE: To assess the prognostic value of symptoms in hospitalised advanced cancer patients.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective analysis was performed of 181 hospitalised patients referred to a Palliative Care Team. Comprehensive symptom questionnaire, functional status, estimated life expectancy and survival were assessed. Using a Cox regression model, a predictive survival model was built.
RESULTS: Median survival: 53 d. Median number of symptoms: 4; 20 symptoms occurred in 10%. Multivariate analysis showed nausea, dysphagia, dyspnoea, confusion and absence of depressed mood as independent prognostic factors for survival (p<0.05) with relative risks of dying of 1.96, 1.81, 1.79, 2.35 and 1.79, respectively. Patients with 2, 3 or 4 of these factors at the same time had a relative risk of dying of 2.7, 2.1 and 9.0, respectively.
CONCLUSION: A cluster of factors comprising nausea, dysphagia, dyspnoea, confusion and absence of depressed mood may be used to accurately predict survival in hospitalised advanced cancer patients.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2510-2516 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | European Journal of Cancer |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue number | 15 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2006 |
Keywords
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Female
- Humans
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Multivariate Analysis
- Neoplasms
- Palliative Care
- Predictive Value of Tests
- Prognosis
- Prospective Studies
- Quality of Life
- Survival Analysis
- Journal Article
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't