2137P - Impact of supportive care on the quality of life (QoL) of hospitalized cancer patients (pts)

Background

Performance ECOG status and staging are described as prognostic factors in oncologic outpatients while nutritional assessment can impact survival in both outpatients and inpatients. The aim of this study was to describe the Charslon Comorbidity Index (CCI), the nutritional status, the impact of opioid therapy and psycho-oncology and palliative care unit intervention for hospitalized cancer patients (pts).

Methods

A prospective multicentric study of pts hospitalized between January 2020 February 2022 at Vall d’Hebron and Sant Pau Hospitals [Plantology database] in Spain. Demographic and clinical variables such as CCI, laboratory results and nutritional status were collected at admission. Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) was calculated at admission. Quality of life (QoL) was collected through the EORTC-QLQ30 v.3 questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS v.29 (Log rank, Chi-square, Student’s t-test were used).

Results

A total of 1.431 patients (median age 66 years, 53.2% males) were included with a median of 9 days hospitalized. With a follow-up of 15 months, the median survival was 4.67 months after admission. Most pts (91.6%) had severe comorbidity (CCI ≥ 5 points) related to a lower survival (4.5 vs 12.8 months, p<0.001). A positive chair stand test for sarcopenia (12.2%) was associated with reduced survival (3.5 vs 9.1 months, p<0.001). Pts with hypoalbuminemia (65.3%) presented lower survival (3.5 vs 8.4 months, p<0.001). In addition, the PNI stratified 59.5% pts with serious malnutrition (PNI <40) linked to reduced survival (3.6 vs 7.9 months, p<0.001). Regarding supportive care, pts under opioid therapy (39.6%) had a higher QoL (mean EORTC QLQ-30 score of 73.4 vs 64.3, p<0.001). Palliative care team assessment and psycho-oncology intervention positively impacted in pts QoL (EORTC QLQ-30 of 74 vs 67.3, p<0.001, and 74.3 vs 65.2, p<0.001, respectively).

Conclusions

In hospitalized cancer pts, severe comorbidity, malnutrition and sarcopenia were associated with a reduced survival. Opioid therapy and psycho-oncological and palliative care unit intervention had a positive impact on the QoL of pts. Early supportive care interventions are key to improve symptomatology and preserve QoL of hospitalized cancer pts.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

VHIO.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.