European Journal of Cancer
Volume 42, Issue 15 , Pages 2510-2516, October 2006

Prognostic significance of symptoms of hospitalised advanced cancer patients☆

  • Saskia C. Teunissen

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Centre, F02.126, P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author: Tel.: +31 613393609; fax: +31 302506230.
    • ,
  • Alexander de Graeff

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Centre, F02.126, P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • Hanneke C. de Haes

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • Emile E. Voest

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Centre, F02.126, P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands

Received 4 January 2006; received in revised form 3 May 2006; accepted 5 May 2006.

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: 53d. 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.

Keywords: Advanced cancer, Symptoms, Estimation of survival

 

☆ Earlier presentation: Aspects of this work were presented as a poster at the annual conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Session Patient Care, abstract 2945), May 2004, New Orleans.

PII: S0959-8049(06)00526-0

doi:10.1016/j.ejca.2006.05.025

European Journal of Cancer
Volume 42, Issue 15 , Pages 2510-2516, October 2006