UICC World Cancer Congress 2006

Objective: To compare the utilization of palliative care services by patients with cancer and those with a chronic care condition such as cardiovascular disease.

Methods: A population-based retrospective review of all patients receiving palliative care services in West Virginia for the years 2000 through 2005.

Results: Since 2000, 4540 patients received palliative care in West Virginia. Thirty-three percent (33%) of those patients had a primary diagnosis of cancer. The main reason for consulting palliative care is for pain and symptom management. A consultation takes place within 7.0 days prior to discharge, which is longer than for patients with another diagnosis (5.2 days). Patients with cancer are more likely to die outside of the hospital (62%) and more likely to be discharged to the care of hospice (36%) than patients without cancer. New data for 2005 will be available in March, which may affect the final numbers in this abstract.