Table 2 Summaries of the information and results of the reviewed studies
From: Chemotherapy use and quality of life in cancer patients at the end of life: an integrative review
Author/s (year) | Country | General sample characteristics | Type of study | Sampling interval | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bisht et al. (2011) | India | 40 head and neck cancer patients; Types included oral (n = 12), laryngeal (n = 12), pharyngeal (n = 8), nasal sinus (n = 3), salivary gland (3 patients), thyroid (n = 2) | Prospective, observational cohort study | Not indicated | Treating symptoms such as pain aggressively can improve the QOL of patients with advanced stage head and neck cancers. None of the patients died during the 2 month study |
Fujisawa, et al. (2015) | U.S | Out of 125 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, 25 (20%) who received CT in final 14 days of life; 11 females; 14 males; mean age 64 years; 15 received oral CT, 10 received IV CT | Secondary analysis of data from randomized control trial | 2006–2009 | Patients who received CT at end of life had significantly higher anxiety, depression, and poor psychological QOL |
Groene.et al. (2015) | England | 2313 patients who received palliative CT for advanced esophageal/gastric cancers; 27% male. 51% of sample under age 55 years; 9% over age 75 years | Prospective population-based observational study | 2007–2009 | Completion of palliative CT is low, particularly in the elderly with low functional status. The study had high levels of missing data, but findings concluded the need to carefully weigh the treatment-risk benefit ratio in terms of toxicities and QOL |
Hui et al. (2014) | U.S | Evaluated 113 (14%) patients with hematologic malignancies with rest of 816 patients who died of advanced cancer who were under care at major cancer center. 52% male, Mean age 62 years, 61% white | Retrospective cohort | 2009–2010 | Patients with hematologic malignancies had poorer QOL at death including receipt of more aggressive care in final 30 days of life |
Kao et al. (2013) | Australia | 147 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, 12% of whom received chemotherapy in last month of life | Retrospective review | 2007–2009 | Those who received end-of-life CT had a significantly shorter survival time. Palliative CT did not improve QOL |
Mayrbäurl et al. (2016) | Austria | 100 advanced colorectal cancer patients; 60% men; mean age 66.4 years | Prospective observational study | 2007–2011 | 25%, 29%, and 26% of patients died in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year of the study. The mean survival time was 21.8 months. QOL deteriorated over time, in particular among those receiving third line palliative CT |
Mayrbäurl et al. (2012) | Austria | 104 patients with advanced cancer Major types included colorectal (30.4%), Breast (11.8%), head/ neck (10.8%); and lung (9.8%); male (56.7%); mean age 66.2 (10.7) | Prospective observational study (included a healthy age and sex-matched control comparison group) | 2003–2005 | Patients had substantially lower QOL as compared to healthy controls. Patients receiving third-line or more palliative CT had worse QOL. The average survival rate of patients was 17.5 months. Patients who received first-line CT had a higher survival rate at the end of the study as compared with those receiving more CT |
Näppä et al. (2011) | Sweden | 374 patients with various types of incurable cancers (87 received palliative CT) | Cohort | 2007–2008 | Patients receiving CT in final month of life were less likely to die in preferred environments, had shorter survival, and had more frequent hospital admissions |
Pacetti et al. (2015) | Italy | Out of 1001 cases with advanced cancers, 324 (24%) received palliative CT in final 30 days. Mean age 67.8 years; 64% males. Italian sample | Retrospective cohort | 2010–2012 | The patients who died during ongoing CT were being treated in 3rd-5th lines of therapy. To improve patients QOL, concurrent care is needed to reduce usage of CT at end of life |
Prigerson et al. (2015) | U.S | 384 patients who died; 158 of whom received CT. Sample 55% male; mean age 58.6 years, 61.5% white; 20.5% black; 16.7% Hispanic | Cohort | 2002–2008 | Palliative CT in late stages of life QOL at death, especially in people with better functional status |
Wright et al. (2014) | U.S | 386 adult patients with metastatic cancer | Prospective cohort | 2002–2008 | Patients who underwent palliative CT were more likely to receive CPR, mechanical ventilation, and feeding tubes in the last week of life. These patients were more likely to die in intensive care than at home. Palliative CT was associated with factors that lower QOL at end of life |
Wintner et al. (2013) | Austria | 263 outpatients with advanced lung cancer | Prospective observational study | Not indicated | QOL was decreased in patients receiving more CT. These patients had disease progression and more treatment side effects |
Zhang et al. (2012) | U.S | 396 patients (mean age 58.7 ± 12.5 years; 65% white), with various types of end stage cancers | Prospective cohort | 2002–2008 | Dying in the hospital and/or in the Intensive care unit associated with lower QOL at death. Limiting use of CT and feeding tubes and transferring patients to hospice or to home may improve QOL at death |