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Table 1 Patient characteristics

From: Palliative radiotherapy near the end of life

Variable

Median (IQR) or % (n, of 518)

 

Age at diagnosis

60 (50–68)

 

Percent female

46% (238)

 

Race

 

 White

66% (340)

 

 East Asian

14% (74)

 

 African American

8.7% (45)

 

 Southeast Asian

3.7% (19)

 

 Asian NOS

3.7% (19)

 

 Other (includes American Indian, Pacific Islander)

4.1% (21)

 

Percent Hispanic

9.1% (47)

 

Survival time since diagnosis (months)

28 (11–53)

 

Primary diagnosis

 

 Lung

26% (137)

 

 Breast

19% (97)

 

 Prostate

9.7% (50)

 

 Renal cell

5.8% (30)

 

 Colorectal

5.8% (30)

 

 Hepatocellular

3.8% (20)

 

 Head and Neck

3.5% (18)

 

 Skin

3.3% (17)

 

 Othera

23% (119)

 

Metastatic at diagnosis

49% (254)

 

Site of metastases

 

 Brain

47% (244)

 

 Lung

55% (284)

 

 Liver

40% (208)

 

Bone only

17% (90)

 

BMI last course

24(21–27)

 

KPS last consult

60 (50–80)

 

 KPS > 70

45% (231/511)

 

Hospitalization within 3 months of RT consult

58% (289/500)

 

TEACHH scoreb

 

Median survival, months (IQR)

 0–1 (Group A)

6.2% (32/450)

6 (2.8–11)

 2–4 (Group B)

68% (352/450)

2.2 (1.0–5.0)

 5–6 (Group C)

13% (66/450)

1.3 (0.5–2.3)

CHOW groupb

 I

18% (92/510)

4.7 (2–11)

 II

44% (227/510)

2.5 (1.0–5.6)

 III

37% (191/510)

1.6 (0.7–2.7)

Hospice involved

 

 Yes

47% (245)

 

 No

28% (147)

 

 Unknown

24% (126)

 

Place of death

 

 Inpatient, acute care

23% (120)

 

 Home

29% (151)

 

 Inpatient hospice, non-acute care

10% (52)

 

 SNF (not hospice)

1.5% (8)

 

 Unknown

36% (187)

 
  1. aIncludes primary cancer of the liver, bile ducts, esophagus, ovary, pancreas, meninges, endometrium, anus, lymph nodes, CNS, and pleura
  2. bSome patients had incomplete information and thus TEACHH or Chow groups could not be calculated (denominators 450 and 510 respectively). Performance status at RT consult was the most commonly missing information, but also hospitalizations within 3 months of RT consult and number of prior palliative chemotherapy courses