Hospitalisations of patients with cancer in the last stage of life. Reason to improve advance care planning?

Objective The aim of this study is to examine why patients are hospitalised in the last stage of life. Methods Our study was conducted in a large Dutch teaching hospital. We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients aged >= 18 years who died of cancer either during hospitalisation or after discharge to receive terminal care outside the hospital. We collected data about the characteristics of these hospitalisations and indicators of advance care planning. Results Of the 264 deceased patients, 56% had died in the hospital and 44% after hospital discharge. Of all patients, 80% had been admitted to the hospital because of symptom distress. Dyspnoea (39%) and pain (33%) were the most common symptoms. Most patients underwent diagnostic procedures (laboratory tests [97%] and radiology tests [91%]) and received medical treatment (analgesics [71%] and antibiotics [55%]) during their hospitalisation. A 'Do-Not-Resuscitate' code had been recorded before admission in 42% of the patients and in an additional 52% during admission. Conclusion Our study shows that patients with cancer in the last stage of life were mainly admitted to the hospital because of symptom distress. Some hospitalisations and in-hospitals deaths may be avoided by more timely recognition of patients' impending death and start of advance care planning.