Table 3 Characteristics of the patients (N = 317)
Characteristics | Number (%) |
|---|---|
Age (median; range) | 63 years (19–95) |
Gender | |
 Female | 155 (48.9) |
Marital status | |
• Married | 220 (69.4) |
• Widowed | 43 (13.6) |
• Single | 31 (9.8) |
• Divorced | 23 (7.3) |
Types of malignancies | |
• Gastrointestinal cancer | 127 (40.1) |
• Primary lung cancer | 57 (18) |
• Head and neck cancer | 43 (13.6) |
• Genitourinary cancer | 34 (10.7) |
• Breast cancer | 22 (6.9) |
• Others | 34 (10.7) |
Metastases | |
 No evidence of metastases at initial consultation | 35 (11) |
PPS level (%)a | |
• ≤ 30 | 130 (41) |
• 40–60 | 102 (32.2) |
• ≥ 70 | 65 (20.5) |
Charlson comorbidity index | |
• ≤ 3 | 196 (61.8) |
• > 3 | 121 (38.2) |
Types of service | |
• Hospital admission | 191 (60.3) |
• Palliative care clinic visit | 126 (39.7) |
• Home visit | 97 (30.6) |
Concurrent cancer treatments | |
• Chemotherapy | 62 (19.6) |
• Radiotherapy | 49 (15.5) |
• Surgery | 13 (4.1) |
Types of opioidsb | |
• Morphine sulfate (Oral) | 235 (74.1) |
• Morphine sulfate (Intravenous) | 155 (48.9) |
• Morphine sulfate (Subcutaneous) | 5 (1.6) |
• Fentanyl TTS 12 mcg/h | 70 (22.1) |
• Fentanyl TTS 25 mcg/h | 78 (24.6) |
• Fentanyl TTS 50 mcg/h | 56 (17.7) |
• Fentanyl citrate (Intravenous) | 22 (6.9) |
• Pethidine hydrochloride (Intravenous) | 16 (5) |
• Codeine phosphate (Oral) | 24 (7.6) |
Patient status at the last follow-up | |
• Dead | 228 (71.9) |
• Alive | 89 (28.1) |