Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25674038›Full record

ArticleBMC palliative care2015

Patterns of health care utilization preceding a colorectal cancer diagnosis are strong predictors of dying quickly following diagnosis.

Robin Urquhart, Grace Johnston, Mohamed Abdolell, Geoff A Porter

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC palliative care, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Prediagnostic Prescription Antibiotics Use and Survival in Patients with Colorectal Cancer: A Swedish National Register-Based Study.Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology · 2023
    Article
  2. Article
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

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Robin UrquhartDepartment of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS Canada ; Cancer Outcomes Research Program, Dalhousie University/Capital District Health Authority, Halifax, NS Canada.
Grace JohnstonSchool of Health Administration, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS Canada.
Mohamed AbdolellDepartment of Diagnostic Radiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS Canada.
Geoff A PorterDepartment of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS Canada ; Cancer Outcomes Research Program, Dalhousie University/Capital District Health Authority, Halifax, NS Canada.
Dalhousie University · CACapital District Health Authority · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUnderstanding the predictors of a quick death following diagnosis may improve timely access to palliative care. The objective of this study was to explore whether factors in the 24 months prior to a colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis predict a quick death post-diagnosis.

methodsData were from a longitudinal study of all adult persons diagnosed with CRC in Nova Scotia, Canada, from 01Jan2001-31Dec2005. This study included all persons who died of any cause by 31Dec2010, except those who died within 30 days of CRC surgery (n = 1885 decedents). Classification and regression tree models were used to explore predictors of time from diagnosis to death for the following time intervals: 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 26 weeks from diagnosis to death. All models were performed with and without stage at diagnosis as a predictor variable. Clinico-demographic and health service utilization data in the 24 months pre-diagnosis were provided via linked administrative databases.

resultsThe strongest, most consistent predictors of dying within 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of CRC diagnosis were related to health services utilization in the 24 months prior to diagnosis: i.e., number of specialist visits, number of days spent in hospital, and number of family physician visits. Stage at diagnosis was the strongest predictor of dying within 12 and 26 weeks of diagnosis.

conclusionsIdentifying potential predictors of a short timeframe between cancer diagnosis and death may aid in the development of strategies to facilitate timely and appropriate referral to palliative care upon a cancer diagnosis.

Indexed as

Delivery of health careDiagnosisDigestive system neoplasmsPalliative care

Identifiers

PMID25674038
PMCPMC4324424
OpenAlexW1539029614

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.