Evidence map›Paper›PMID 22379422›Full record

ArticleJournal of oncology practice2011

Palliative care needs of patients with cancer living in the community.

Arif H Kamal, Janet Bull, Dio Kavalieratos, Donald H Taylor, William Downey, Amy P Abernethy

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of oncology practice, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
23citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

23 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Resilience in palliative healthcare professionals: a systematic review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2020
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
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  4. Article
  5. Exploring the lived experience of Chinese family caregivers caring for end-of-life cancer patients at home: a phenomenological study in Singapore.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Article
  6. Characteristics of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer who access palliative care: An observational study.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2023
    Observational
  7. Article
  8. Care Needs and Symptoms Burden of Breast Cancer Patients in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
    Article
  9. More than a feeling? What does compassion in healthcare 'look like' to patients?Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2022
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Arif H KamalDivision of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine; Duke Cancer Care Research Program, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center; Sanford Institute of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham; Four Seasons, Flat Rock; Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
Janet Bull
Dio Kavalieratos
Donald H Taylor
William Downey
Amy P Abernethy

Funding

Implementing best practice in palliative careR18HS022763 · AHRQ · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI JOHNSON, KIMBERLY S. · 2013 to 2017
$2.5M
AHRQ HHS R18 HS022763
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeWith improved effectiveness of early detection and treatment, many patients with cancer are now living with advanced disease and associated symptoms. As cancer becomes a chronic illness, adequate attention to patients' symptoms and psychosocial needs in the community setting requires positioning of palliative care alongside cancer care. This article describes the current palliative care needs of a population of community-dwelling patients with advanced cancer who are not yet ready for transition to hospice.

methodsThis secondary analysis used quality-monitoring data collected in three community-based palliative care organizations. Analyses focused on people with cancer-related diagnoses who were receiving palliative care during 2008 to 2011.

resultsThe analytic data set included 4,980 people, 10% of whom had cancer. Median age was 71 years. Forty-eight percent had been hospitalized at least once in the 6 months before palliative care referral. Forty-nine percent had a Palliative Performance Score (PPS) of 40% to 60%; 40% had PPS ≤ 30%. Although 81% had an estimated prognosis of ≤ 6 months, 58% were expected to live weeks to months. Thirty-three percent had no identified healthcare surrogate; 59% had no do-not-resuscitate order despite declining functional status and limited prognosis. Ninety-five percent reported ≥ 1 symptom, and 67% reported ≥ 3 symptoms; a substantial proportion did not receive treatment for symptoms.

conclusionsPatients referred to community-based palliative care experience multiple often-severe symptoms that have been insufficiently addressed. They tend to have declining performance status. Earlier palliative care intervention could improve outcomes but will require delivery models that better coordinate inpatient/outpatient oncology and community-based palliative care.

Identifiers

PMID22379422
PMCPMC3219466

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.