Abstract 1456P
Background
Early palliative care (EPC) in patients with advanced cancer is associated with better quality of life and fewer cancer-related symptoms during the dying process and improved overall survival (OS). Patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) have a biologically aggressive disease, so early inclusion may be relevant to modify clinical practice guidelines.
Methods
We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with SCLC diagnosed between 2009 and 2019. The primary outcome of the study was to correlate the EPC with quality indicators (QIs) at the end of life. EPC was considered if they were referred within 12 weeks after diagnosis. Quality indicators (QIs) for end-of-life cancer care that we used were defined as a six-point scale: home or hospice death, received opioids <7 days before death, not an intensive care unit admission, not a prolonged inpatient hospital admission (>14 days), not >1 emergency room visits, all in the last month of life, and no chemotherapy within 2 weeks before death. Overall survival (OS) was also assessed.
Results
Of 101 SCLC, 69.3% were male and 31.7% were female. The median age was 65 years (SD 9,013). A EPC was performed in 24.5% of the sample. There were no differences in clinical characteristics between both groups except for stage at diagnosis, extended disease, 92% in EPC vs 68.4% in non-EPC, p=0.038, and type of chemotherapy, carboplatin, 84% in EPC vs 57.9% in non-EI, p:0.034. The primary outcome EPC was associated with lower score in QIs at end of life (1.20 vs 1.87, p=0.018). These differences remained when adjusting for stage in the multivariate model. Patients with EPC used more morphine at the end of life (76% vs 50%, p=0.041) and had fewer visits to the emergency department (28% vs 55.3%, p:0.033). However, no differences were observed between prolonged admissions, chemotherapy received in the last 14 days before death and place of death. OS was 5.16 months (95% CI, 3.41-6.90) in EPC vs 9.01 months (95% CI, 7.25-10.77) in non-EPC, p=0.007.
Conclusions
EPC is related to less therapeutic aggressiveness at the end of life. Higher rate of extended disease could be related to worse prognosis and survival. SCLC should be referred to EPC to maximize the full benefits.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
A. Rueda Dominguez: Financial Interests, Institutional, Advisory Board: Merck; Financial Interests, Institutional, Advisory Board: Bristol Myers Squibb; Financial Interests, Institutional, Advisory Board: Roche; Financial Interests, Institutional, Expert Testimony: Merck; Financial Interests, Institutional, Expert Testimony: Bristol Myers Squibb; Financial Interests, Institutional, Expert Testimony: Roche; Financial Interests, Institutional, Expert Testimony: Takeda. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.