Descriptive analysis of clinical factors affecting terminally ill cancer patients

Goals of work To make a descriptive analysis of clinical and laboratories parameters in advanced neoplastic patients. Materials and methods We interviewed 406 terminally ill cancer patients to study demographic and neoplastic data, 24 graded symptoms, 21 analytical parameters and scales to evaluate general condition, quality of life and independence in daily activities. Main results An average of 9.3 symptoms per patient were detected and median survival was 26.5 days. Most frequent symptoms were asthenia (96.8%), anorexia (94.8%), weight loss (88.1%) and pain (80.5%). Principal laboratory abnormalities were high blood sedimentation rate (96%), high cytolysis and cholestasis enzyme levels (50–77%), anemia (81.5%), low protein (66%) and low albumin levels (67%). Symptom prevalence was different according to age, gender, primary tumour, location of metastasis, laboratory parameters, performance status, quality of life or independence in daily-living activities. Conclusions We should know more frequent symptoms affecting terminal cancer patients and any factor contributing to it to provide more comfort in the final phases of life.