Low Muscle Density Associated With Symptoms, Health Care Use, and Survival in Advanced Cancer

7006 Background: Loss of skeletal muscle mass (quantity) is common in patients with advanced cancer, but little is known about muscle density (quality). Hospitalized patients with advanced cancer are a highly symptomatic population at risk for the adverse effects of muscle loss. Thus, we sought to describe associations between muscle mass and density, symptom burden, health care use, and survival in these patients. Methods: We prospectively enrolled hospitalized patients with advanced cancer from 9/2014-4/2017. Upon admission, patients reported their physical (Edmonton Symptom Assessment System [ESAS]) and psychological (Patient Health Questionnaire 4 [PHQ4]) symptoms. We used computed tomography (CT) scans performed per routine care ≤45 days prior to enrollment to evaluate muscle mass and density at the level of the third lumbar vertebral body. We categorized patients as sarcopenic using validated sex specific cutoffs. We used regression models to examine associations between muscle mass and density and patients’ symptom burden, health care use, and survival. Results: Of 1,121 patients enrolled, 677 had evaluable CT scan data (mean age = 62.86±12.95 years; 51.1% female). The most common cancer types were gastrointestinal (36.8%) and lung (16.7%) cancer. Most met criteria for sarcopenia (64.0%). Older age and female sex were associated with lower muscle mass (age: B = -0.16, p < .01; female: B = -6.89, p < .01) and density (age: B = -0.33, p < 0.01; female: B = -1.66, p = .01), while higher BMI was associated with higher muscle mass (B = 0.58, p < .01) and lower muscle density (B = -0.61, p < .01). Higher muscle mass was significantly associated with improved survival (HR = 0.97, p < .01), but not with symptom burden or health care use. Higher muscle density was significantly associated with lower ESAS physical (B = -0.17, p = .02), ESAS total (B = -0.29, p < .01), PHQ4 depression (B = -0.03, p < .01) and PHQ4 anxiety (B = -0.03, p < .01) symptoms. Higher muscle density was also associated with decreased hospital length of stay (B = -0.07, p < .01), risk of readmission or death in 90 days (OR = 0.97, p < .01), and improved survival (HR = 0.97, p < .01). Conclusions: Most hospitalized patients with advanced cancer have muscle loss consistent with sarcopenia. We found that muscle mass (quantity) correlated with survival, whereas muscle density (quality) was associated with patients’ symptoms, health care use, and survival. These findings underscore the added importance of assessing muscle quality when seeking to address the adverse effects of muscle loss in oncology.

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Effect of Palliative Care on Aggressiveness of End-of-Life Care Among Patients With Advanced Cancer

Journal of Oncology Practice ◽

10.1200/jop.2017.020883 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. e760-e769 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Daniel P. Triplett ◽

Wendi G. LeBrett ◽

Alex K. Bryant ◽

Andrew R. Bruggeman ◽

Rayna K. Matsuno ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Palliative Care ◽

End Of Life ◽

Advanced Cancer ◽

Health Care Use ◽

Medicare Beneficiaries ◽

Invasive Procedures ◽

Chemotherapy Administration ◽

Palliative Care Consultation ◽

Care Consultation

Purpose: Palliative care’s role in oncology has expanded, but its effect on aggressiveness of care at the end of life has not been characterized at the population level. Methods: This matched retrospective cohort study examined the effect of an encounter with palliative care on health-care use at the end of life among 6,580 Medicare beneficiaries with advanced prostate, breast, lung, or colorectal cancer. We compared health-care use before and after palliative care consultation to a matched nonpalliative care cohort. Results: The palliative care cohort had higher rates of health-care use in the 30 days before palliative care consultation compared with the nonpalliative cohort, with higher rates of hospitalization (risk ratio [RR], 3.33; 95% CI, 2.87 to 3.85), invasive procedures (RR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.62 to 1.88), and chemotherapy administration (RR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.45 to 1.78). The opposite pattern emerged in the interval from palliative care consultation through death, where the palliative care cohort had lower rates of hospitalization (RR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.44-0.65), invasive procedures (RR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.45 to 0.59), and chemotherapy administration (RR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.53). Patients with earlier palliative care consultation in their disease course had larger absolute reductions in health-care use compared with those with palliative care consultation closer to the end of life. Conclusion: This population-based study found that palliative care substantially decreased health-care use among Medicare beneficiaries with advanced cancer. Given the increasing number of elderly patients with advanced cancer, this study emphasizes the importance of early integration of palliative care alongside standard oncologic care.

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Randomized trial of a symptom monitoring intervention for hospitalized patients with advanced cancer (NCT03396510).

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2020.38.15_suppl.12014 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 38 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. 12014-12014

Author(s):

Ryan David Nipp ◽

Nora K. Horick ◽

Carolyn L. Qian ◽

Emilia R. Kaslow-Zieve ◽

Chinenye C. Azoba ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Usual Care ◽

Advanced Cancer ◽

Symptom Burden ◽

Hospitalized Patients ◽

Health Care Use ◽

Assessment System ◽

Readmission Rates ◽

Symptom Monitoring ◽

Secondary Endpoints

12014 Background: Hospitalized patients with advanced cancer experience a high symptom burden, which is associated with poor clinical outcomes and increased health care use. Symptom monitoring interventions are increasingly becoming standard of care in oncology, but studies of these interventions in the hospital setting are lacking. We evaluated the impact of a symptom monitoring intervention in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer. Methods: We randomly assigned hospitalized patients with advanced cancer who were admitted to the oncology service to a symptom monitoring intervention or usual care. Patients in both arms reported their symptoms (Edmonton Symptom Assessment System [ESAS] and Patient Health Questionnaire 4 [PHQ4], higher scores on both indicate greater symptom severity) daily via tablet computers. Patients assigned to the intervention had their symptom reports presented graphically with alerts for moderate/severe symptoms during daily oncology rounds. The primary endpoint was the proportion of days with improved symptoms for those who completed two or more days of symptoms. Secondary endpoints included hospital length of stay (LOS) and readmission rates. Results: From 2/2018-10/2019, we randomized 390 patients (76.2% enrollment rate); 320 completed two or more days of symptoms (median age=65.6 [range 18.8-93.2]; 43.8% female). The most common cancers were gastrointestinal (36.9%), lung (18.8%), and genitourinary (12.2%). Nearly half of patients (48.5%) had one or more comorbid conditions in addition to cancer. We found no significant differences between intervention and usual care regarding the proportion of days with improved ESAS total (B=-0.05, P=.17), ESAS physical (B=-0.02, P=.52), PHQ4 anxiety (B=-0.03, P=.33), and PHQ4 depression (B=-0.02, P=.44) symptoms. Intervention patients also did not differ from usual care with respect to secondary endpoints of hospital LOS (7.50 v 7.59 days, P=.88) and readmission rates within 30 days of discharge (32.5% v 25.6%, P=.18). Conclusions: For hospitalized patients with advanced cancer, this symptom monitoring intervention did not have a significant impact on their symptom burden and health care use. These findings do not support the routine integration of this type of symptom monitoring intervention for hospitalized patients with advanced cancer. The positive outcomes seen in previous studies of symptom monitoring interventions may not be reproduced in other patient populations and care settings. Support: UG1CA189823; Clinical trial information: NCT03396510 .

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Standardized Criteria for Palliative Care Consultation on a Solid Tumor Oncology Service Reduces Downstream Health Care Use

Journal of Oncology Practice ◽

10.1200/jop.2016.016808 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. e431-e440 ◽

Cited By ~ 56

Author(s):

Kerin Adelson ◽

Julia Paris ◽

Jay R. Horton ◽

Lorena Hernandez-Tellez ◽

Doran Ricks ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Palliative Care ◽

Advanced Cancer ◽

Solid Tumor ◽

Cancer Care ◽

Symptom Control ◽

Health Care Use ◽

Readmission Rates ◽

Substantial Impact ◽

Oncology Service

Purpose: Hospitalized patients with advanced cancer have a high symptom burden and need for support. Integration of palliative care (PC) improves symptom control and decreases unwanted health care use, yet many patients are never offered these services. In 2016, ASCO called for incorporation of PC into oncologic care for all patients with metastatic cancer. To improve the quality of cancer care, we developed standardized criteria, or triggers, for PC consultation on the inpatient solid tumor service. Methods: Patients were eligible for this prospective cohort study if they met at least one of the following eligibility criteria: had an advanced solid tumor; prior hospitalization within 30 days; hospitalization > 7 days; and active symptoms. During the intervention, patients who met the criteria received automatic PC consultation. Results: When we compared patients in the intervention group with control subjects, there were increases in PC consultations (19 of 48 [39%] to 52 of 65 [80%]; P ≤ .001) and hospice referrals (seven of 48 [14%] to 17 of 65 [26%]; P = .03), and there were declines in 30-day readmission rates (17 of 48 [35%] to 13 of 65 [18%]; P = .04) and receipt of chemotherapy after discharge (21 of 48 [44%] to 12 of 65 [18%]; P = .03). There was an overall increase in support measures following discharge ( P = .004). Length of stay was unaffected. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that among patients with advanced cancer admitted to an inpatient oncology service, the standardized use of triggers for PC consultation is associated with substantial impact on 30-day readmission rates, chemotherapy following discharge, hospice referrals, and use of support services following discharge. Expansion of this model to other hospitals and health systems should improve the value of cancer care.

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