Many patients with advanced cancer have potentially aggressive treatment at the expense of supporting care, according to a study that analyzed the Medicare files.
The study, published in Jama Health Forum, examined the quality of care at the end of the life cycle of 33,744 Medicare deceased. The study included patients with a different ethnic background, aged 66 and over who died of breast, prostate, pancreas or lung cancer.
Overall, claims records showed that 45% of patients exhibited potentially aggressive care (such as multiple visits of acute care within a few days of death), while there was a low receipt of supportive care, such as consolation, Hospice and Advanced Care Planning In the last six months of life. While hospital care increased to more than 70% during the month, death occurred, over 16% of patients spent less than 3 days in hospitals. In addition, receiving advanced care and consolation planning remained below 25%.
Life care at the end of life continues to favor excessive treatment, despite significant efforts to raise awareness of aggressive damage over the last decade. “
Youngmin Kwon, Ph.D., Researcher, Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Access to supportive care varies between demographic groups. Patients who were larger, non -Spanish white, had longer survival or lived in rural areas, as well as areas with lower socio -economic levels, were less likely to receive supportive care.
“For the dead patients and their carers, Hospice is often considered the golden model of finished life that can manage holistically care needs,” the authors said. “The fact that a significant part did not use hospital care at all or was admitted to a hospital within 3 days of death, suggests that the potential benefits of hospital care were not carried out for many patients.”
The findings emphasize the need for multifaceted efforts to optimize the quality of life care for patients with cancer.
“Having clear and honest communication between patients, their carers and providers about the prognosis of diseases and advanced design is vital,” Kwon said. “At the same time, policies to increase access to supportive care and ensure adequate workforce of palliative providers are essential to tackle structural barriers to high quality care.”
Source:
Magazine report:
Kwon, Y, et al. (2025). Contemporary patterns of care at the end of the life cycle between Medicare beneficiaries with advanced cancer. Jama Health Forum. doi.org/10.1001/jamahealthfor.2024.5436.
