Factors Associated With Prolonged Survival in Colorectal Cancer Patients Admitted to Palliative Care: An Exploratory Study.

Abstract

ObjectiveA recently published study concerning variables associated with survival longer than one year in palliative care included several types of cancer. A secondary analysis limited to patients with colorectal cancer was performed to analyze a more homogeneous group of patients.MethodsPatients were identified through electronic records from 2012 to December 2018. All patients were over 18 years old and deceased. Cases were defined as patients who survived ≥1 year after being admitted to the palliative care service (PCS), while controls were those who had survived ≤6 months.ResultsThe study includes 33 patients as cases and 119 as controls. 82 (54%) were male, and the median age was 78.5 years (49 to 95). In the univariable analysis, the variables associated with a low probability of living ≥1 year were an ECOG performance status ≥2, liver metastases, and pain. The variables associated with a survival ≥1 year were the neutrophil count ≤5.66 x 10⁹/L and a neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio ≤3.59. In the multivariable analysis, only pain and liver metastases were associated with a low probability, and the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio ≤3.59 with a high likelihood of living one year or more.ConclusionThe data of this study suggests that in colorectal cancer patients admitted to a PCS, the presence of pain, liver metastases, and a high neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio negatively impact the probability of living ≥1 year.