title: Prospective clarification of the utility of the palliative prognostic index for patients with advanced cancer in the home care setting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to prospectively clarify the accuracy of the Palliative Prognostic Index (PPI) for advanced cancer patients in home care settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 66 advanced cancer patients who received home visiting services between April 2010 and June 2012, and who died at home or in the hospital. Using medical records from initial home visits, we prospectively calculated PPI scores along with sensitivity and specificity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For 3- and 6-week survival, prognostic prediction showed respective sensitivities of 60% and 70.6%, and specificities of 87.0% and 71.9%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sensitivity of the PPI for advanced cancer patients in home care settings was lower than that reported for patients in palliative care units. Development of prognostic tools suitable for home care settings is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan junhamano@md.tsukuba.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hamano
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kizawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: Takami
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maeno
authors.affiliation: Department of General Medicine and Primary Care, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagaoka
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Medicine, Tsukuba Medical Center Hospital, Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shima
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuhiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maeno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: home care setting; palliative care; palliative prognostic index; patients with advanced cancer; prognostic prediction; prospective study