The Characteristics of Patients with Cancer Diagnosis in Palliative Care

Objectives: This study was carried out to investigate the characteristics of patients diagnosed with cancer who were treated in a palliative care facility of a training and research hospital.
 

Methods: Our study is a retrospective, descriptive study. Medical data of 122 patients who has been diagnosed with lung cancer between July 2017 and November 2018 in İzmir Training and Research Hospital was used. These data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0. In order to evaluate data, descriptive statistical methods were used and following statistical parameters were calculated: number, percentage, standart deviation, arithmetic mean±standard deviation (X±S). P-value<0.05 were used in analysis.
 

Results: Among 122 patients, 82%(100) of them were male, and the average age of patients is 64.45±9.85% in which 48.4 (59) of them belonging to 45-65 age group and 48.4 (59) of them over the age of 65. The average length of stay in hospital is 19.74±19.58 days and %53.3 (65) of patients stayed in hospital between 10 to 29 days.Mortality rate in hospital was identifed as 36.9 (45).77.7% (94) of the patients were admitted to palliative care from other services. 62.3% (76) of the patients are fed enteral. A negative pressure system was used in the treatment of the pressure 4 of 17 patients with Stage 3 and 4 of the pressure. It was found that 52.04% (74) of patients had mixed (visceral+neuropathic) pain and 54.09% (66) of patients had chronic cancer pain in the etiology of pain. It was found that 31.97% (39) had nonopioid and 31.14% (38) had strong opioids. The indications for the use of opioid in patients with cancer diagnosed in palliative care were found to be 90.98% pain. There is a significant relationship between the diagnosis of patients who are cared for in palliative care and the use of painkillers. (p=0.00, p<0.05).
 

Conclusion: The need for palliative care centers increases each year and there will be more need in the future due to the increase in the number of elderly patients and advanced oncologic patients. Palliative care aims to improve the symptoms of these patients and improve their quality of life.