JAMDA
Volume 9, Issue 3 , Pages 149-156 , March 2008

Cancer Patients Admitted to Nursing Homes: What Do We Know?

  • Miriam B. Rodin, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence to Miriam B. Rodin, MD, PhD, Saint Louis University, Division of Geriatric Medicine, 1402 S. Grand Blvd. Rm M238, St. Louis, MO 63104.

References 

  1. National Cancer InstituteUnited States National Institutes of Health. Cancer Trends Progress Report 2007 Update. http://progressreport.cancer.gov/trends-glance.asp www.cancer.govAccessed December 11, 2007
  2. US estimated 28-year limited-duration prevalence on 1/1/2004 for all cancer sites (First malignancy cancer only by age group, race, sex and years since diagnosis). http://canques.seer.cancer.govAccessed 31 Oct 2007
  3. Van Dijk PTM, Mehr DR, Ooms ME, et al. Comorbidity and 1-year mortality risks in nursing home residents. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2005;53:660–665
  4. Teno JM. Quality of care and quality indicators for end-of-life cancer care: hope for the best, yet prepare for the worst. In: Washington DC: National Academy Press; 2001;p. 96–131
  5. Gallo WT, Baker MJ, Bradley EH. Factors associated with home versus institutional death among cancer patients in Connecticut. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2001;49:771–777
  6. Johnson V, Teno JM, Bourbonniere M, Mor V. Palliative care needs of cancer patients in US nursing homes. J Palliative Med. 2005;8:273–279
  7. Buchanan RJ, Barkley J, Wang S, Kim MS. Analysis of nursing home residents with cancer at admission. Cancer Nurs. 2005;28:406–414
  8. McMillan A, Mentnech RM, Lubitz J, McBean AM, Russell D. Trends and patterns in place of death for Medicare enrollees. Health Care Financ Rev. 1990;12:1–7
  9. Ferrell BA. Care of cancer patients in nursing homes. Oncology. 1992;6(Suppl 2):141–145
  10. Seo PH, Pieper CF, Cohen HJ. Effects of cancer history and comorbid conditions on mortality and healthcare use among older cancer survivors. Cancer. 2004;101:2276–2284
  11. Retchin SM, Penberthy L, Desch C, Brown R, Jerome-Emilia B, Clement B. Perioperative management of colon cancer under Medicare risk programs. Arch Internal Med. 1997;157:1878–1884
  12. Yabroff KR, Davis WW, Lamont EB, et al. Patient time costs associated with cancer care. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2007;99:14–23
  13. Buchanan RJ, Barkley J, Wang S, Kim MS. Analysis of nursing home residents with cancer at admission. Cancer Nurs. 2005;28:406–414
  14. Mitchell SL, KeIley DK, Hamel MB. Dying with advanced dementia in the nursing home. Arch Intern Med. 2004;162:321–326
  15. Jordhoy MS, Saltvedt I, Fayers P, Loge JH, Ahlner-Elmqvist M, Kaasa S. Which cancer patients die in nursing homes? (Quality of life, medical and sociodemographic characteristics). Palliative Med. 2003;17:433–444
  16. Repetto L, Venturino A, Vercelli M, et al. Performance status and comorbidity in elderly cancer patients compared with young patients with neoplasia and elderly patients without neoplastic conditions. Cancer. 1998;82:760–765
  17. Hurria A, Hurria A, Zuckerman E, et al. A prospective longitudinal study of the functional status and quality of life of older patients with breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. J Am Geriatric Soc. 2006;54:1119–1124
  18. Mohile SG, Bylow K, Dale W, et al. A pilot study of the Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 compared with the comprehensive geriatric assessment for identifying disability in older patients with prostate cancer who receive androgen ablation. Cancer. 2007;109:802–810
  19. Flood KL, Carroll MB, Le CV, Ball L, Esker DA, Carr DB. Geriatric syndromes in elderly patients admitted to an oncology acute care for elders unit. J Clin Orthod. 2006;24:2298–2303
  20. Koroukian SM, Murray P, Medigan E. Comorbidity, Disability and geriatric syndromes in elderly cancer patients receiving home health care. J Clin Orthod. 2006;24:2304–2310
  21. Beccaro M, Costantini M, Rossi PG, et al. Actual and preferred place of death of cancer patients: results from the Italian survey of the dying of cancer (ISDOC). J Epidemiol Comm Health. 2006;60:412–416
  22. Davies E, Linklater KM, Jack RH, Clark L, Moller H. How is place of death from cancer changing and what affects it? (Analysis of cancer registration and service data). Br J Cancer. 2006;95:593–600
  23. Gatrell AC, Harman JC, Francis BJ, Thomas C, Morris SM, McIllmurray M. Place of death: analysis of cancer deaths in part of North West England. J Public Health Med. 2003;25:53–58
  24. Higginson IJ, Astin P, Dolan S. Where do cancer patients die? (Ten-year trends in the place of death of cancer patients in England). Palliat Med. 1998;12:353–363
  25. Gomes B, Higginson IJ. Factors affecting death at home in terminally ill patients with cancer: systematic review. Br Med J. 2006;332:515–521
  26. Leibovitz A, Habot B, Lobart E, Gil L, Walach N. Skilled nursing facilities as a setting for comprehensive care of older people with advanced cancer: A model of care in the post oncologic stage. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2000;1:74–76
  27. Christakis NA, Lamont EB. Extent and determinants of error in doctors’ prognosis in terminally ill patients: A prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2000;320:469–472
  28. Lamont EB, Christakis NA. Complexities in prognostication in advanced cancer. JAMA. 2003;290:98–104
  29. Lamont EB, Christakis NA. Prognostic disclosure in patients with cancer near the end of life. Arch Intern Med. 2001;134:1096–1105
  30. Brandt HE, Deliens L, Ooms ME, van der Steen JT, van der Waal G, Ribbe MW. Symptoms, signs, problems and diseases of terminally ill nursing home patients. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:314–320
  31. Teno JM, Weitzen S, Fennell ML, Mor V. Dying trajectory in the last year of life: does cancer trajectory fit other diseases?. J Palliat Med. 2001;4:457–464
  32. Lunney JR, Lynn J, Foley DJ, Lipson S, Guralnik JM. Patterns of functional decline at the end of life. JAMA. 2003;289:2387–2392
  33. Chen JH, Chan DC, Kiely DK, Morris JN, Mitchell SL. Terminal trajectories of functional decline in the long term care setting. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2007;62A:531–536
  34. Miller SC, Mor V. The emergence of Medicare hospice care in US nursing homes. Palliat Med. 2001;15:471–480
  35. Casarett DJ, Hirschman KB, Henry MR. Does hospice have a role in nursing home care at the end of life?. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2001;49:1493–1498
  36. Buchanan RJ, Choi M, Wang S, Huang C. Analysis of nursing home residents in hospice care using the Minimum Data Set. Palliat Med. 2002;16:465–480
  37. Bernabei R, Gambassi G, Lapane K, et al. Management of pain in elderly patients with cancer. JAMA. 1998;279:1877–1882
  38. Mor V, Papandonatos G, Miller SC. End of life hospitalization for African-American and non-Latino white nursing home residents: Variation by race and a facility’s racial composition. J Palliat Med. 2005;8:58–68
  39. Trask PC, Teno JM, Nash J. Transitions of care and changes in distressing pain. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2006;32:104–109
  40. Teno JM, Kabumoto G, Wetle T, Roy J, Mor V. Daily pain was excruciating at some time in the previous week: Prevalence, characteristics and outcomes in nursing home residents. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2004;52:762–767
  41. Sawyer P, Lillis P, Bodner E, Allman RM. Substantial daily pain among nursing home residents. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2007;8:158–165
  42. Zerzan J, Stearns S, Hanson L. Access to palliative care and hospice in nursing homes. JAMA. 2000;284:2489–2494
  43. Goodwin DM, Higginson IJ, Edwards AG, et al. An evaluation of systematic reviews of palliative care services. J Palliat Care. 2002;18:77–83
  44. Finlay IG, Higginson IJ, Goodwin DM, et al. Palliative care in hospital, hospice, at home: results from a systematic review. Ann Oncol. 2002;13(Suppl 4):257–264
  45. Higginson IJ, Finlay I, Goodwin DM, et al. Do hospital-based palliative teams improve care for patients or families at the end of life?. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2002;23:96–106
  46. Hall P, Schroeder C, Weaver L. The last 48 hours of life in long-term care: A focused chart audit. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2002;50:501–506
  47. Parker-Oliver D, Porock D, Zweig S. End-of-life care in US nursing homes: A review of the evidence. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2004;5:147–155
  48. Teno JM, Clarridge BR, Casey V, et al. Family perspectives on end-of-life care at the last place of care. JAMA. 2004;291:88–93
  49. Miller SC, Mor V, Teno J. Hospice enrollment and pain assessment and management in nursing homes. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2003;26:791–799
  50. Miller SC, Intrator O, Gozalo P, Roy J, Barber J, Mor V. Government expenditures at the end of life for short- and long-stay nursing home residents: Differences by hospice enrollment status. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2004;52:1284–1292
  51. Jordhoy MS, Fayers P, Loge JH, Ahlner-Elmqvist M, Kaasa S. Quality of life in palliative cancer care: Results from a cluster randomized trial. J Clin Oncol. 2001;19:3884–3894
  52. Coleman EA, Berenson RA. Lost in transition: Challenges and opportunities for improving the quality of transitional care. Ann Intern Med. 2004;141:533–536
  53. Moore C, McGinn T, Halm E. Tying up loose ends: Discharging patients with unresolved medical issues. Arch Intern Med. 2007;167:1305–1311
  54. Boockvar K, Fishman E, Kyriacou CK, Monias A, Gavi S, Cortes T. Adverse events due to discontinuations in drug use and dose changes in patients transferred between acute and long term care facilities. Arch Intern Med. 2004;164:545–550
  55. Kimmick G. Chemotherapy/Pharmacology. In: Kennedy BJ, eds. ASCO Curriculum. Cancer care in the older population. ASCO, Alexandria, VA.
  56. Musselman DL, Lawson DH, Gumnick JF, et al. Paroxetine for the prevention of depression induced by high dose interferon-Alfa. N Engl J Med. 2001;344:961–966
  57. Maccabee J. The effect of transfer from a palliative care unit to nursing homes: Are patients’ and relatives’ needs met?. Palliat Med. 1994;8:211–214
  58. Bookvar KS, Burack OR. Organizational relationships between nursing homes and hospitals and quality of care during hospital-nursing home patient transfers. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2007;55:1078–1084
  59. Ghusn HF, Teasdale TA, Jordan D. Continuity of do not resuscitate orders between hospital and nursing home settings. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1997;45:465–469
  60. Yeh SS, Lovitt S, Schuster MW. Pharmacological treatment of geriatric cachexia: Evidence and safety in perspective. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2007;8:363–377

 The author has no conflict of interest regarding this article.

PII: S1525-8610(07)00520-8

doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2007.11.011

JAMDA
Volume 9, Issue 3 , Pages 149-156 , March 2008