Place and time of death in patients treated with palliative intent for oral cancer.
Information about place and time of death can help patients, carers, general medical practitioners, and multi-professional teams to put palliation for oral cancer into context, particularly the aspirations of patients about where they die. Aintree Regional Maxillofacial Unit treated 487 consecutive patients for primary oral squamous cell carcinoma between 2006 and 2010. Mortality was ascertained from the Office for National Statistics. A total of 65 (13%) patients were treated with palliative intent, and median (IQR) survival was 4.3 months (2.1-8.0). The most common reasons for palliation were inoperability (33%) and extensive disease associated with serious comorbidity (18%). A total of 22 died in hospital, 14 in a hospice, 14 in their own home, 14 in a nursing, residential, or old people's home, and one elsewhere. Most patients given palliative care do not die in hospital and survival is short. Their needs and those of their carers can be better met through integrated care that is linked to the primary sector.
Regional Maxillofacial Unit, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool L9 1AE, United Kingdom. Electronic address: kamisettyanil@hotmail.com.
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Kamisetty
Marie Curie Palliative Care, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Catriona.Mayland@aintree.nhs.uk.
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Mayland
Evidence-Based Practice Research Centre (EPRC), Faculty of Health, Edge Hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk L39 4QP, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Jackb@edgehill.ac.uk.
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Jack
Evidence-Based Practice Research Centre (EPRC), Faculty of Health, Edge Hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk L39 4QP, United Kingdom. Electronic address: astraglobeltd@btconnect.com.
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Lowe
Regional Maxillofacial Unit, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool L9 1AE, United Kingdom; Evidence-Based Practice Research Centre (EPRC), Faculty of Health, Edge Hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk L39 4QP, United Kingdom. Electronic address: snrogers.aintree@gmail.com.
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Rogers
D000368:Aged; D001240:Aspirations, Psychological; D001293:Attitude to Death; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006738:Hospices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology; D010348:Patient Care Team; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000523:psychology; D012112:Residential Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015996:Survival Rate; D013727:Terminal Care
Head and neck cancer; Oral cancer; Palliative care; Place of death