Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41686251›Full record

Observational studySupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2026

Continuous sedation in adolescent and young adult cancer patients under home-based end-of-life care.

Hirofumi Watanabe, Akifumi Watanabe, Koichi Fujikawa, Mitsuru Furuya, Hiroaki Goto, Ayaka Ishikawa, Kazuki Yokoyama, Chihiro Seki, Akiko Iida, Yoriko Kosugi and 7 more

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

17 authors.

Hirofumi WatanabeWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan. watanabe.hirofumi@nihon-u.ac.jp.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8863-7342
Akifumi WatanabeWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Koichi FujikawaWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Mitsuru FuruyaWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Hiroaki GotoWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Ayaka IshikawaWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Kazuki YokoyamaWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Chihiro SekiWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Akiko IidaWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Yoriko KosugiWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Yumiko KumagaiWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Akiko MurakamiWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Eri SakumaWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Kei TakagiWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Junya KawauchiWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Yasuaki GyodaWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Junko WatanabeWata Clinic, Junyuu-Kai Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study examined the implementation status of continuous sedation (CS) and its clinical and social background factors in adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer who received end-of-life care at home.

methodsWe conducted a single-center retrospective observational study with 62 AYA patients with cancer. We compared the CS (S) and non-sedation (NS) groups, analyzing factors contributing to sedation implementation.

resultsCS implementation rate was 37.1% (23/62 cases). Participants' median age was 36 (S group) and 33 (NS group) years (p = 0.08). Both groups had similar median time from initial home consultation to death (30 vs. 34 days, resp., p = 0.6). Midazolam was the most frequently used sedative agent (82.6%), administered at a median of 20 mg/day. Delirium occurred significantly more frequently in the S (vs. NS) group (60.9% vs. 23.1%, p = 0.006). Primary indications for sedation were dyspnea (47.8%), pain (26.1%), and delirium (17.4%). The S (vs. NS) group had significantly higher morphine equivalent doses (median 120 vs. 60 mg, p = 0.0008) and higher rates of patient-controlled analgesia implementation (56.5% vs. 20.5%, p = 0.0056). Cases where spouses were primary decision-makers were more frequent in the S (vs. NS) group (60.9% vs. 30.8%, p = 0.033).

conclusionThis descriptive analysis revealed lower CS rates among patients aged < 30 years. Sedation was not associated with shortened survival. Dyspnea was the most common sedation indication, with high-dose opioid use, delirium incidence, and spousal decision-making as primary factors associated with sedation administration. Given the small sample size and retrospective design, findings should be interpreted as exploratory.

Indexed as

Home Care ServicesHypnotics and SedativesNeoplasmsTerminal CareAdolescentAdultDeliriumFemaleHumansMaleMidazolamRetrospective StudiesYoung AdultHypnotics and SedativesMidazolamAdvance care planningAYA cancerContinuous sedationHome palliative careOpioid dosageRefractory symptom

Identifiers

PMID41686251

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.