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Habib MH, Tiger YKR, Dima D, Schlögl M, McDonald A, Mazzoni S, Khouri J, Williams L, Anwer F, Raza S. Role of Palliative Care in the Supportive Management of AL Amyloidosis-A Review. J Clin Med 2024; 13:1991. [PMID: 38610755 PMCID: PMC11012321 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13071991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Light chain amyloidosis is a plasma-cell disorder with a poor prognosis. It is a progressive condition, causing worsening pain, disability, and life-limiting complications involving multiple organ systems. The medical regimen can be complex, including chemotherapy or immunotherapy for the disease itself, as well as treatment for pain, gastrointestinal and cardiorespiratory symptoms, and various secondary symptoms. Patients and their families must have a realistic awareness of the illness and of the goals and limitations of treatments in making informed decisions about medical therapy, supportive management, and end-of-life planning. Palliative care services can thus improve patients' quality of life and may even reduce overall treatment costs. Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a clonal plasma cell disorder characterized by the excessive secretion of light chains by an indolent plasma cell clone that gradually accumulates in vital organs as amyloid fibrils and leads to end-organ damage. With progressive disease, most patients develop diverse clinical symptoms and complications that negatively impact quality of life and increase mortality. Complications include cardiac problems including heart failure, hypotension, pleural effusions, renal involvement including nephrotic syndrome with peripheral edema, gastrointestinal symptoms leading to anorexia and cachexia, complex pain syndromes, and mood disorders. The prognosis of patients with advanced AL amyloidosis is dismal. With such a complex presentation, and high morbidity and mortality rates, there is a critical need for the establishment of a palliative care program in clinical management. This paper provides an evidence-based overview of the integration of palliative care in the clinical management of AL amyloidosis as a means of reducing ER visits, rehospitalizations, and in-hospital mortality. We also discuss potential future collaborative directions in various aspects of clinical care related to AL amyloidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Hamza Habib
- Department of Palliative Care, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Yun Kyoung Ryu Tiger
- Division of Blood Disorders, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Danai Dima
- Department of Hematology & Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; (D.D.); (A.M.); (S.M.); (J.K.); (L.W.); (F.A.); (S.R.)
| | - Mathias Schlögl
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Clinic Barmelweid, 5017 Barmelweid, Switzerland;
| | - Alexandra McDonald
- Department of Hematology & Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; (D.D.); (A.M.); (S.M.); (J.K.); (L.W.); (F.A.); (S.R.)
| | - Sandra Mazzoni
- Department of Hematology & Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; (D.D.); (A.M.); (S.M.); (J.K.); (L.W.); (F.A.); (S.R.)
| | - Jack Khouri
- Department of Hematology & Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; (D.D.); (A.M.); (S.M.); (J.K.); (L.W.); (F.A.); (S.R.)
| | - Louis Williams
- Department of Hematology & Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; (D.D.); (A.M.); (S.M.); (J.K.); (L.W.); (F.A.); (S.R.)
| | - Faiz Anwer
- Department of Hematology & Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; (D.D.); (A.M.); (S.M.); (J.K.); (L.W.); (F.A.); (S.R.)
| | - Shahzad Raza
- Department of Hematology & Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; (D.D.); (A.M.); (S.M.); (J.K.); (L.W.); (F.A.); (S.R.)
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Law B, Windsor J, Connor S, Koea J, Srinivasa S. Best supportive care in advanced pancreas cancer: a systematic review to define a patient-care bundle. ANZ J Surg 2024. [PMID: 38366699 DOI: 10.1111/ans.18906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The majority of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) have advanced disease at presentation, preventing treatment with curative intent. Management of these patients is often provided by surgical teams for whom there are a lack of widely accepted strategies for care. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review to identify key issues in patients with advanced PDAC and integrate the evidence to form a care bundle checklist for use in surgical clinics. METHODS A systematic review of the literature was performed regarding best supportive care for advanced PDAC according to the PRISMA guidelines. Interventions pertaining to supportive care were included whilst preventative and curative treatments were excluded. A narrative review was planned. RESULTS Forty-four studies were assessed and four themes were developed: (i) Pain is an undertreated symptom, requiring escalating analgesics and sometimes invasive modalities. (ii) Health-related quality of life necessitates optimisation by involving family, carers and multi-disciplinary teams. (iii) Malnutrition and weight loss can be mitigated with early assessment, replacement therapies and resistance exercise. (iv) Biliary and duodenal obstruction can often be relieved by endoscopic/radiological interventions with surgery rarely required. CONCLUSION This is the first systematic review to evaluate the different types of interventions utilized during best supportive care in patients with advanced PDAC. It provides a comprehensive care bundle for surgeons that informs management of the common issues experienced by patients within a multidisciplinary environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bena Law
- The Department of Surgery, North Shore Hospital, Private Bag 93503, Auckland, New Zealand
- The Department of Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - John Windsor
- The Department of Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Surgical and Translational Research Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Saxon Connor
- The Department of Surgery, Christchurch Hospital, Private Bag 4710, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Jonathan Koea
- The Department of Surgery, North Shore Hospital, Private Bag 93503, Auckland, New Zealand
- The Department of Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Sanket Srinivasa
- The Department of Surgery, North Shore Hospital, Private Bag 93503, Auckland, New Zealand
- The Department of Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Kim S, Chervu N, Premji A, Mallick S, Verma A, Ali K, Benharash P, Donahue T. Association of Inpatient Palliative Care Consultation with Clinical and Financial Outcomes for Pancreatic Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 2024; 31:1328-1335. [PMID: 37957512 DOI: 10.1245/s10434-023-14528-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Palliative care consultation (PCC) has been shown to improve quality of life and reduce costs for various chronic life-threatening diseases. Despite PCC incorporation into modern pancreatic cancer care guidelines, limited data regarding its specific utilization and impact on resource use is available. METHODS The 2016-2020 Nationwide Readmissions Database was used to identify all adult hospitalizations entailing pancreatic cancer. Only patients with at least one readmission within 90 days were included to account for uncaptured out-of-hospital mortality. Multivariable regression models were used to ascertain the relationship between inpatient PCC during initial hospitalization and index as well as cumulative costs, overall length of stay (LOS), readmission rate, and number of repeat hospitalizations. RESULTS Of an estimated 175,805 patients with pancreatic cancer, 11.1% had inpatient PCC during the index admission. PCC utilization significantly increased from 10.5% in 2016 to 11.6% in 2020 (nptrend < 0.001). After adjustment, PCC was associated with reduced index hospitalization costs [β: - $1100; 95% confidence interval (CI) - 1500, - 800; P < 0.001] and cumulative 90-day costs (β: - $11,700; 95% CI - 12,700, - 10,000; P < 0.001). PCC was associated with longer index LOS (β: + 1.12 days, 95% CI 0.92-1.31, P < 0.001) but significantly reduced cumulative LOS (β: - 3.16 days; 95% CI - 3.67, - 2.65; P < 0.001). Finally, PCC was linked with decreased odds of 30-day nonelective readmission (AOR: 0.48, 95% CI 0.45-0.50, P < 0.001). DISCUSSION PCC was associated with decreased costs, readmission rates, and number of hospitalizations among patients with pancreatic cancer. Directed strategies to increase utilization and reduce barriers to consultation should be implemented to encourage practitioners to maximize inpatient PCC referral rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shineui Kim
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nikhil Chervu
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alykhan Premji
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Saad Mallick
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Arjun Verma
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Konmal Ali
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Peyman Benharash
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Timothy Donahue
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Osagiede O, Nayar K, Raimondo M, Kumbhari V, Lukens FJ. The Determinants of Inpatient Palliative Care Use in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2023:10499091231218257. [PMID: 37991926 DOI: 10.1177/10499091231218257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Symptom burden management is a major goal of pancreatic cancer care given that most patients are diagnosed late. Early palliative care is recommended in addition to concurrent active treatment; however, disparities exist. We sought to determine the factors associated with inpatient palliative treatment among pancreatic cancer patients and compare treatment outcomes in terms of mortality, discharge disposition and resource utilization. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study of 22,053 pancreatic cancers using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database (January - December 2020). Patient and hospital characteristics, mortality, discharge disposition, length of stay (LOS), hospital costs and charges were compared between pancreatic cancer patients based on palliative treatment. Multivariate regression was used to evaluate patient and hospital characteristics and outcomes associated with palliative treatment. RESULTS A total number of 3839 (17.4%) patients received palliative care. Patients who received palliative care were more likely to be older, Medicaid insured, and nonobese. Patients were less likely to receive palliative care if they are males, Medicare insured, had a lower Charlson comorbidity score, or treated in Urban nonteaching hospitals. Patients who received palliative care displayed higher odds of in-hospital mortality and prolonged LOS. The adjusted additional mean hospital cost and charges in patients who received palliative care were lower by $1459, and $4222 respectively. CONCLUSIONS Inpatient palliative treatment in pancreatic cancer patients is associated with an older age, a higher comorbidity burden, non-obesity, insurance status and urban teaching hospitals. Our study suggests that inpatient palliative treatment decreased hospital resource utilization without prolonging survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osayande Osagiede
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Kapil Nayar
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Massimo Raimondo
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Vivek Kumbhari
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Frank J Lukens
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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Gonzalez R, Srinivas S, Waterman BL, Chawla M, Cloyd JM, Di Tosto G, Pawlik TM, Sarna A, Rush LJ, McAlearney AS, Ejaz A. Impact of early vs late palliative care referrals on healthcare utilization in patients with pancreatic cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:14997-15002. [PMID: 37610676 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05113-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of early versus late palliative care referral (PCR) following pancreatic cancer diagnosis. METHODS Patients diagnosed with PDAC who received a PCR between 2014 and 2020 at a major academic institution were identified. PCR was classified as early (< 30 days) or late (≥ 30 days) based on time from definitive diagnosis. Data were obtained on number of emergency department (ED) visits, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and hospital admissions. RESULTS Among 1458 patients with PDAC, 419 (28.7%) received PCR, among which 67.3% (n = 282) received a late PCR. Of those who received PCR, the majority were White (85%) and male (54.8%), with a median age of 62 years at time of diagnosis. Patients who received an early PCR more commonly presented with stage 4 disease at diagnosis (early: n = 91, 69% vs. late: n = 132, 47%), whereas patients who received a late PCR more commonly presented with stage 1, 2, or 3 disease (early: n = 40, 30.5% vs. late: n = 150, 53.2%) (p < 0.001). Patients who received early PCR had fewer median ED visits (1 vs. 2, p < 0.001) and hospital admissions (1 vs. 2, p < 0.001) compared with patients who received late PCR. However, after performing recurrent-event Cox-proportional hazards models, the timing of PCR did not impact hospital admission (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.68, 1.14; p = 0.3). CONCLUSION Timing of PCR for patients with PDAC was not associated with healthcare utilization. Further prospective trials are needed to study the patient-centered impact of early integration of palliative care services into multidisciplinary pancreatic cancer teams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Gonzalez
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Shruthi Srinivas
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 320 W. 10th Ave., M-260 Starling-Loving Hall, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Brittany L Waterman
- Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Mehak Chawla
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jordan M Cloyd
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 320 W. 10th Ave., M-260 Starling-Loving Hall, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Gennaro Di Tosto
- The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research (CATALYST), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Timothy M Pawlik
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 320 W. 10th Ave., M-260 Starling-Loving Hall, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Angela Sarna
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Laura J Rush
- The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research (CATALYST), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ann Scheck McAlearney
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
- The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research (CATALYST), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Aslam Ejaz
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 320 W. 10th Ave., M-260 Starling-Loving Hall, Columbus, OH, USA.
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Haltia O, Vesinurm M, Leskelä RL, Rahko E, Tyynelä-Korhonen K, Lehto JT, Saarto T, Akrén OM. The effect of palliative outpatient units on resource use for cancer patients in Finland. Acta Oncol 2023; 62:1118-1123. [PMID: 37535611 DOI: 10.1080/0284186x.2023.2241988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As cancer incidences are increasing, the means to provide effective palliative care (PC) are called for. There is evidence, that PC may prevent futile treatment at the end of life (EOL) thus implicating that PC decreases resource use at the EOL, however, the effects of outpatient PC units remain largely unknown. We surveyed the national use of Finnish tertiary care PC units and their effects on resource use at the EOL in real-life environments. PATIENTS AND METHODS Cancer patients treated in the departments of Oncology at all five Finnish university hospitals in 2013 and deceased by 31 December 2014 were identified; of the 6010 patients 2007 were randomly selected for the study cohort. The oncologic therapies received and the resource usage of emergency services and hospital wards were collected from the hospitals' medical records. RESULTS A PC unit was visited by 37% of the patients a median 112 days before death. A decision to terminate all life-prolonging cancer treatments was more often made for patients visiting the PC unit (90% vs. 66%, respectively). A visit to a PC unit was associated with significantly fewer visits to emergency departments (ED) and hospitalization during the last 90 days of life; the mean difference in ED visits decreased by 0.48 (SD 0.33 - 0.62, p < 0.001), and the mean inpatient days by 7.1 (SD 5.93 - 8.25, p < 0.001). A PC visit unit was independently associated with decreased acute hospital resource use during the last 30 and 90 days before death in multivariable analyses. CONCLUSION Cancer patients' contact with a PC unit was significantly associated with the reduced use of acute hospital services at the EOL, however; only one-third of the patients visited a PC unit. Thus, systematic PC unit referral practices for patients with advanced cancer are called for.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olli Haltia
- Helsinki Health Care Center; Faculty of Medicine, Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Märt Vesinurm
- Nordic Healthcare group, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Management (HEMA), Aalto University School of Science, Espoo, Finland
| | | | - Eeva Rahko
- Cancer Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | | | - Juho T Lehto
- Palliative Care Centre, Department of Oncology, Tampere University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Tiina Saarto
- Department of Palliative Care, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Helsinki University Hospital, and Faculty of Medicine, Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Outi M Akrén
- Palliative Center, Turku University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Turku University, Turku, Finland
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Ramkumar N, Wang Q, Brooks GA, Tosteson AN, Wong SL, Loehrer AP. Association of rurality with utilization of palliative care and hospice among Medicare beneficiaries who died from pancreatic cancer: A cohort study. J Rural Health 2023; 39:557-564. [PMID: 36631820 PMCID: PMC10293103 DOI: 10.1111/jrh.12739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic cancer has a 5-year survival of just 10%. Services such as palliative care and hospice are thus crucial in this population, yet their geographic accessibility and utilization remains unknown. AIM We studied the association between rurality of patient residence and the use of palliative care and hospice. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Cohort study of continuously enrolled fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 diagnosed with incident pancreatic cancer between 04/01/2016-08/31/2018 and who died by 12/31/2018. RESULTS In this decedent cohort of 31,460 patients, 77% lived in metropolitan areas, 11% in micropolitan areas, 7% in small towns, and 5% in rural areas. Patient demographics were largely similar across rurality; however, the proportion of White, non-Hispanic patients and social deprivation was highest in rural areas and lowest in metropolitan areas. Overall, 33% of patients used any palliative care and 77% received hospice services. After risk adjustment, there were no statistically significant differences in the use of palliative care for patients residing in metropolitan versus micropolitan, small town, or rural areas. Patients in small town (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.69-0.86) and rural areas (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.66-0.85) had lower adjusted odds of receiving hospice care compared to patients in metropolitan areas. CONCLUSIONS The use of palliative care services captured in Medicare was low, representing either underutilization or failure to accurately measure the extent of services used. While the overall level of hospice enrollment was high, patients in rural communities had relatively lower use of hospice services compared to those in metropolitan areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niveditta Ramkumar
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03766
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756
- Dartmouth Cancer Center, Lebanon, NH 03756
| | - Qianfei Wang
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03766
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756
| | - Gabriel A. Brooks
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03766
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756
- Dartmouth Cancer Center, Lebanon, NH 03756
- Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH 03756
| | - Anna N.A. Tosteson
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03766
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756
- Dartmouth Cancer Center, Lebanon, NH 03756
| | - Sandra L. Wong
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03766
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756
- Dartmouth Cancer Center, Lebanon, NH 03756
- Department of Surgery, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon NH 03756
| | - Andrew P. Loehrer
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03766
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756
- Dartmouth Cancer Center, Lebanon, NH 03756
- Department of Surgery, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon NH 03756
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Khan NN, Evans SM, Ioannou LJ, Pilgrim CHC, Blanchard M, Daveson B, Philip J, Zalcberg JR, Te Marvelde L. Characteristics of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer who access palliative care: An observational study. Qual Life Res 2023:10.1007/s11136-023-03425-x. [PMID: 37133625 PMCID: PMC10393853 DOI: 10.1007/s11136-023-03425-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Despite the benefits of palliative care (PC) in pancreatic cancer, little is known about patients who access PC. This observational study examines the characteristics of patients with pancreatic cancer at their first episode of PC. METHODS First-time, specialist PC episodes captured through the Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration (PCOC), in Victoria, Australia between 2014 and 2020, for pancreatic cancer, were identified. Multivariable logistic regression analyses examined the impact of patient- and service-level characteristics on symptom burden (measured through patient-reported outcome measures and clinician-rated scores) at first PC episode. RESULTS Of 2890 eligible episodes, 45% began when the patient was deteriorating and 32% ended in death. High fatigue and appetite-related distress were most common. Generally, increasing age, higher performance status and more recent year of diagnosis predicted lower symptom burden. No significant differences were noted between symptom burden of regional/remote versus major city dwellers; however, only 11% of episodes recorded the patient as a regional/remote resident. A greater proportion of first episodes for non-English-speaking patients began when the patient was unstable, deteriorating or terminal, ended in death and were more likely to be associated with high family/carer problems. Community PC setting predicted high symptom burden, with the exception of pain. CONCLUSION A large proportion of first-time specialist PC episodes in pancreatic cancer begin at a deteriorating phase and end in death, suggesting late access to PC. Timely referrals to community-based specialist PC, access in regional/remote areas, as well as development of culturally diverse support systems require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia N Khan
- Cancer Research Program, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Sue M Evans
- Cancer Research Program, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
- Victorian Cancer Registry, Cancer Council Victoria, 615 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Liane J Ioannou
- Cancer Research Program, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Charles H C Pilgrim
- Cancer Research Program, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Megan Blanchard
- Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Barbara Daveson
- Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Jennifer Philip
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, St Vincent's Hospital Campus, Victoria Pde, Fitzroy, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - John R Zalcberg
- Cancer Research Program, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Luc Te Marvelde
- Cancer Research Program, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
- Victorian Cancer Registry, Cancer Council Victoria, 615 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
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9
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Chawla M, Villarreal ME, Waterman BL, Di Tosto G, Gonzalez R, Sarna A, Patel R, Cloyd J, Pawlik TM, Rush LJ, McAlearney A, Ejaz A. Utilization of Palliative and Hospice Care Among Pancreatic Cancer Patients at an Academic Center. J Surg Res 2023; 289:22-26. [PMID: 37075607 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2023.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma has the lowest 5-y relative survival of all solid tumor malignancies. Palliative care can improve the quality of life of both patients and their caregivers. However, the utilization patterns of palliative care in patients with pancreatic cancer are unclear. METHODS Pancreatic cancer patients who were diagnosed between October 2014 and December 2020 at the Ohio State University were identified. Palliative care and hospice utilization and referral patterns were assessed. RESULTS Of the 1458 pancreatic cancer patients, 55% (n = 799) were male, median age at diagnosis was 65 y (interquartile range [IQR]: 58, 73), and most were Caucasian (n = 1302, 89%). Palliative care was utilized by 29% (n = 424) of the cohort, with the initial consultation obtained after an average of 6 ± 9 mo from diagnosis. Patients who received palliative care were younger (62 y, IQR: 55, 70 versus 67 y, IQR: 59, 73; P < 0.001) and more frequently members of racial and ethnic minorities (15% versus 9%; P < 0.001) versus those who did not receive palliative care. Among the 344 (24%) patients who received hospice care, 153 (44%) had no prior palliative care consultation. Patients referred to hospice care survived a median of 14 d (95% CI, 12-16) after hospice referral. CONCLUSIONS Only 3 out of 10 patients with pancreatic cancer received palliative care at an average of 6 mo from initial diagnosis. More than two out of every five patients referred to hospice had no previous palliative care consultation. Efforts to understand the impact of improved integration of palliative care into pancreatic cancer programs are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehak Chawla
- Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Michael E Villarreal
- Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Brittany L Waterman
- Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Gennaro Di Tosto
- The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research (CATALYST), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Roberto Gonzalez
- Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Angela Sarna
- Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Romal Patel
- Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Jordan Cloyd
- Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Timothy M Pawlik
- Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Laura J Rush
- The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research (CATALYST), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Ann McAlearney
- The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research (CATALYST), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Aslam Ejaz
- Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio.
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10
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Kim CA, Lelond S, Daeninck PJ, Rabbani R, Lix L, McClement S, Chochinov HM, Goldenberg BA. The impact of early palliative care on the quality of life of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer: The IMPERATIVE case-crossover study. Support Care Cancer 2023; 31:250. [PMID: 37022483 PMCID: PMC10078032 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-023-07709-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Pancreatic cancer is a lethal disease. Many patients experience a heavy burden of cancer-associated symptoms and poor quality of life (QOL). Early palliative care alongside standard oncologic care results in improved QOL and survival in some cancer types. The benefit in advanced pancreatic cancer (APC) is not fully quantified. METHODS In this prospective case-crossover study, patients ≥ 18 years old with APC were recruited from ambulatory clinics at a tertiary cancer center. Patients underwent a palliative care consultation within 2 weeks of registration, with follow up visits every 2 weeks for the first month, then every 4 weeks until week 16, then as needed. The primary outcome was change in QOL between baseline (BL) and week 16, measured by Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - hepatobiliary (FACT-Hep). Secondary outcomes included symptom control (ESAS-r), depression, and anxiety (HADS, PHQ-9) at week 16. RESULTS Of 40 patients, 25 (63%) were male, 28 (70%) had metastatic disease, 31 (78%) had ECOG performance status 0-1, 31 (78%) received chemotherapy. Median age was 70. Mean FACT-hep score at BL was 118.8, compared to 125.7 at week 16 (mean change 6.89, [95%CI (-1.69-15.6); p = 0.11]). On multivariable analysis, metastatic disease (mean change 15.3 [95%CI (5.3-25.2); p = 0.004]) and age < 70 (mean change 12.9 [95%CI (0.5-25.4); p = 0.04]) were associated with improved QOL. Patients with metastatic disease had significant improvement in symptom burden (mean change -7.4 [95%CI (-13.4 to -1.4); p = 0.02]). There was no difference in depression or anxiety from BL to week 16. CONCLUSION Palliative care should be integrated early in the journey for patients with APC, as it can improve QOL and symptom burden. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT03837132.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina A Kim
- CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Internal Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Stephanie Lelond
- CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
- College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
| | - Paul J Daeninck
- CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Internal Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Palliative Care Program, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Rasheda Rabbani
- College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Lisa Lix
- George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Susan McClement
- College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Harvey Max Chochinov
- CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Palliative Care Program, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Benjamin A Goldenberg
- CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Internal Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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11
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Lan X, Robin G, Kasnik J, Wong G, Abdel-Rahman O. Challenges in Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency among Patients with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041331. [PMID: 36831673 PMCID: PMC9953920 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common malignancy of the pancreas and is associated with an extremely poor prognosis. Many PDAC patients suffer from profound nutritional complications such as nutrient deficiencies, weight loss, malnutrition, and cancer cachexia. These complications cause barriers to effective anticancer treatments, gravely influence their quality of life, and decrease their overall survival. Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) is defined as impaired digestion due to inadequate secretion of pancreatic enzymes and is a common cause of malnutrition in PDAC. This review first summarizes the existing literature around malnutrition in PDAC, with a particular focus on PEI and its management with pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT). Second, we summarize existing guidelines and recommendations for the management of PEI among patients with PDAC. Lastly, we highlight potential gaps of knowledge of PEI among healthcare providers resulting in underdiagnosis and treatment, which may have implications for the quality of life and overall survival of PDAC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Lan
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Gabrielle Robin
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Jessica Kasnik
- Nutrition Services, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, Canada
| | - Grace Wong
- Pharmacy Department, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, Canada
| | - Omar Abdel-Rahman
- Department of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-7804328290
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12
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Scacchi A, Savatteri A, Politano G, Conti A, Dalmasso M, Campagna S, Gianino MM. Impact of the Timing of Integrated Home Palliative Care Enrolment on Emergency Department Visits. Int J Health Policy Manag 2022; 11:2964-2971. [PMID: 35596272 PMCID: PMC10105184 DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2022.5783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The association between timing of integrated home palliative care (IHPC) enrolment and emergency department (ED) visits is still under debate, and no studies investigated the effect of the timing of IHPC enrolment on ED visits, according to their level of emergency. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the timing of IHPC enrolment on different acuity ED visits. METHODS A retrospective, pre-/post-intervention study was conducted from 2013 to 2019 in Italy. Analyses were stratified by IHPC duration (short ≤30 days; medium 31-90 days; long >90 days) and triage tags (white/green: low level of emergency visit; yellow/red: medium-to-high level). The impact of the timing of IHPC enrolment was evaluated in two ways: incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of ED visits were determined (1) before and after IHPC enrolment in each group and (2) post-IHPC among groups. RESULTS A cohort of 17 983 patients was analysed. Patients enrolled early in the IHPC programme had a significantly lower incidence rate of ED visits than the pre-enrolment period (IRR=0.65). The incidence rates of white/green and yellow/red ED visits were significantly lower post-IHPC enrolment for patients enrolled early (IRR=0.63 and 0.67, respectively). All results were statistically significant (P<.001). Comparing the IHPC groups after enrolment versus the short group, medium and long IHPC groups had a significant reduction of ED visits (IRR=0.37, IRR=0.14 respectively), showing a relation between the timing of IHPC enrolment and the incidence of ED visits. A similar trend was observed after accounting for triage tags of ED visits. CONCLUSION The timing of IHPC enrolment is related with a variation of the incidence of ED visits. Early IHPC enrolment is related to a high significant reduction of ED visits when compared to the 90-day pre-IHPC enrolment period and to late IHPC enrolment, accounting for both low-level and medium-to-high level emergency ED visits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Scacchi
- Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Armando Savatteri
- Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Politano
- Department of Control and Computer Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Alessio Conti
- Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Marco Dalmasso
- Epidemiology Unit, Local Health Unit TO3, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Sara Campagna
- Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
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13
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Bowman JK, Aaronson EL, Petrillo LA, Jacobsen JC. Goals of Care Conversations Documented by an Embedded Emergency Department-Palliative Care Team during COVID. J Palliat Med 2022; 26:662-666. [PMID: 36378862 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2022.0314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: There has been growing interest around integrating palliative care (PC) into emergency department (ED) practice but concern about feasibility and impact. In 2020, as the COVID pandemic was escalating, our hospital's ED and PC leadership created a new service of PC clinicians embedded in the ED. Objectives: To describe the clinical work of the embedded ED-PC team, in particular what was discussed during goals of care conversations. Design: Prospective patient identification followed by retrospective electronic health record chart extraction and analysis. Settings/Subjects: Adult ED patients in an academic medical center in the United States. Measurements/Results: The embedded ED-PC team saw 159 patients, whose mean age was 77.5. Nearly all patients were admitted, 48.0% had confirmed or presumed COVID, and overall mortality was 29.1%. Of the patients seen, 58.5% had a serious illness conversation documented as part of the consult. The most common topics addressed were patient (or family) illness understanding (96%), what was most important (92%), and a clinical recommendation (91%). Clinicians provided a prognostic estimate in 57/93 (61.3%) of documented discussions. In the majority of cases where prognosis was discussed, it was described as poor. Conclusion: Specialist PC clinicians embedded in the ED can engage in high-quality goals of care conversations that have the potential to align patients' hospital trajectory with their preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason K. Bowman
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Brigham & Women's Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Emily L. Aaronson
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Laura A. Petrillo
- Department of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Juliet C. Jacobsen
- Department of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Lund University Institute for Palliative Care, Lund, Sweden
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14
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Dumnui N, Nagaviroj K, Anothaisintawee T. A study of the factors associated with emergency department visits in advanced cancer patients receiving palliative care. BMC Palliat Care 2022; 21:197. [PMCID: PMC9664626 DOI: 10.1186/s12904-022-01098-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose
Several studies demonstrated that cancer patients visited the emergency department (ED) frequently. This indicates unmet needs and poor-quality palliative care. We aimed to investigate the factors that contribute to ED visits among patients with advanced cancer in order to identify strategies for reducing unnecessary ED visits among these patients.
Methods
A retrospective study was conducted between January and December, 2019. Eligible patients were previously enrolled in the comprehensive palliative care program prior to their ED visit. All patients older than 18 were included. Patients were excluded if they had died at the initial consultation, were referred to other programs at the initial consultation, or had an incomplete record. The trial ended when the patients died, were referred to other palliative programs, or the study ended. The time between the initial palliative consultation and study endpoints was categorized into three groups: 16 days, 16–100 days, and > 100 days, based on the literature review. To investigate the factors associated with ED visits, a logistic regression analysis was conducted. The variables with a P value < 0.15 from the univariate logistic regression analysis were included in the multiple logistic regression analysis.
Results
Among a total of 227 patients, 93 visited the ED and 134 did not. Mean age was 65.5 years. Most prevalent cancers were colorectal (18.5%), lung (16.3%), and hepatobiliary (11.9%). At the end, 146 patients died, 45 were alive, nine were referred to other programs, and 27 were lost to follow-up. In univariate logistic regression analysis, patients with > 100 days from palliative consultation (OR 0.23; 95%CI 0.08, 0.66; p-value 0.01) were less likely to attend the ED. In contrast, PPS 50–90% (OR 2.02; 95%CI 1.18, 3.47; p-value 0.01) increased the ED visits. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, these two factors remained associated with ED visits:> 100 days from the palliative consultation (OR 0.18; 95%CI 0.06, 0.55; p-value 0.01) and PPS 50–90% (OR 2.62; 95%CI 1.44, 4.79; p-value 0.01).
Conclusions
There was reduced ED utilization among cancer patients with > 100 days of palliative care. Patients having a lower PPS were associated with a lower risk of ED visits.
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15
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Davis M, Vanenkevort E, Varun S, Young A, Correa Ordonez I, Brown J, Wojtowicz M. Is Weight Loss During Chemotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer Prognostic? Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2022:10499091221123049. [PMID: 36062722 DOI: 10.1177/10499091221123049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Predicting poor survival outcomes early in palliative chemotherapy is important to the timing of palliative care. Weight loss during chemotherapy if prognostic would lead to early palliative care. METHOD We collected demographics, stage, chemotherapy, chemotherapy cycles, weight, healthcare utilization, comorbidities (Charleson Comorbid Index), tumor markers, and weight changes over 60 days. We defined 3 groups of patients: 1. Weight gain to <.5% weight loss, 2. Weight loss< 2% and 3. Weight loss of >2%. A Chi-square test assessed differences in weight during treatment. Time-to-event analysis was expressed in a Kaplan Meier curve. RESULTS 93 individuals died of pancreatic cancer in 2018 and 2019. The median age was 71.2 years. Forty-three had stage I and II, 40 stages III and IV cancers, and 10 had unknown stages. Most received FOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy. Thirty-six gained to lost < .5% during chemotherapy,8 lost < 2% and 49 patients lost > 2% of their weight. Mortality was available in 55 of 93 patients. Median survival was 16.6 months in those with weight gain to < .5% weight loss, 17.28 months for those with < 2% weight loss, and 20.5 months for those with > 2% weight loss (P = .42). DISCUSSION Weight loss over 60 days did not predict a poor prognosis in this small retrospective study; larger prospective studies may clarify the prognostic importance of weight loss during chemotherapy. CONCLUSION In this small retrospective study, weight loss over 60 days did not predict poor survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mellar Davis
- 21599Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, USA
| | | | - Samji Varun
- 21599Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, USA
| | - Amanda Young
- 21599Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, USA
| | | | - Jason Brown
- 21599Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, USA
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16
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Caring experiences of family caregivers of patients with pancreatic cancer: an integrative literature review. Support Care Cancer 2022; 30:3691-3700. [PMID: 34993653 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-021-06793-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This review summarizes and synthesizes the available empirical literature on the experiences concerned with the problems and challenges faced by caregivers of patients with pancreatic cancer. METHODS An integrative review method was used, and a literature search was conducted using five databases. We searched the terms "pancreatic cancer," "caregiver," and "experience," and used the Boolean operators OR and AND to combine them. The Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools were used to assess the quality of the included studies. RESULTS Four qualitative studies, one mixed method, and three quantitative studies met the selection criteria and were included in the review. Informal family caregivers of patients with pancreatic cancer experienced multifaceted roles, lack of information, difficulties in maintaining emotional well-being, and positive coping. The factors associated with their caring experience included the caregivers' demographics, patients' psychological status, and clinical characteristics. CONCLUSION Caregivers of patients with pancreatic cancer have various experiences while providing care. Health care providers should offer opportunities for caregivers to recognize their feelings, provide sufficient information and psychological support, and foster coping strategies to maintain the physical and psychosocial well-being of caregivers.
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