title: [Management of patients with terminal cancer at a primary care center].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the characteristics, family surrounding and place of death of terminal oncologic patients from 1991.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive and retrospective study. We used Fisher's test. SITE. San Gregorio, Telde (Las Palmas province).
  
  
  METHODS
  We worked with 27 patients in terminal disease (17 were men and 10 were women).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average age was 66.7 +/- 17 years. The most frequent type was digestive (10), breast (5) and lung (3). Average time of survival was 17.5 +/- 26.5 months. Principal symptoms were: pain (23), anorexia (17), constipation (13) and depression (11). 23 received analgesia (11 with morphine), 17 laxatives and 13 benzodiazepines. The numbers of visit they received was 13.6 +/- 9.3 patients knew their diagnostic. 22 of the families were considered collaborators. 70% of patients in control by Primary Care Center died at home; whereas no one did so in control by hospital (p = 0.029).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Half of the patients in terminal phase in our zone die in their home. Patients under control by Primary Care Center are significantly more likely to die in their own homes. We give special attention to the high percentage of patients who use opiates. Finally we consider that workers in Primary Care Centers are a vital element in handle these patients and their families.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud San Gregorio, Telde, Las Palmas.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Aguiar Bautista
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fernández Ares
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Torrano Echavarri
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: González Domínguez
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Rodríguez San Román
authors.lastname: Martínez Ibáñez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013727:Terminal Care
vernacular_title: Manejo de los pacientes con cáncer terminal en un centro de atención primaria.