Abstract
Aim
To assess the characteristics of patients who had never received anticancer treatments
at admission of an acute supportive palliative care unit (ASPCU).
Methods
From a consecutive sample of 422 advanced cancer patients, 62 patients with no previous
anticancer therapy were selected and compared with a random sample of patients who
had received anticancer treatments.
Results
Patients without previous anticancer therapy (14.7%) were mainly admitted to ASPCU for a low KPS and high symptom burden, often waiting
for or needing a histological diagnosis to make a decision for the next therapeutic
steps. This group of patients were older (P<0.0005), more frequently males (P=0.007), and
had more comorbidities (P<0.0005) in comparison with treated patients. Twenty-four per cent of these patients started chemotherapy subsequently. Treatment-naive patients had
a higher level of symptom burden, which was less responsive to a comprehensive palliative
and more frequently died within three months in comparison with treated patients.
Discussion
Treatment-naive patients showed a higher level of symptom burden, which was less responsive
to a comprehensive palliative treatment. In addition they more frequently died within
three months in comparison with treated patients.
Key-words
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
January 19,
2023
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2023 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
