• Deniz Gencer, Nicola Kästle-Larralde, Lothar R Pilz, Adelheid Weiss, Dieter Buchheidt, Andreas Hochhaus, and Ralf-Dieter Hofheinz.
• III Medizinische Klinik, Universitätsmedizin Mannheim, Universität Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
• Onkologie. 2009 Jul 1;32(7):380-6.

BackgroundFew data have been published about terminally ill patients with gastrointestinal tumors treated in palliative care units.Patients And MethodsWe analyzed the data of 737 admissions of 435 patients that were treated in a palliative care unit, and tried to identify prognostic factors for survival.ResultsMost frequent diagnoses at admission were colorectal, gastric, esophageal, and pancreatic cancer. Major clinical symptoms were pain (66.9%), anorexia (60.8%), weight loss (39.2%), and nausea/vomiting (36.6%). In 71.6% of the patients, morphine derivatives were administered. In 33.0% of cases, red blood cell transfusions were applied, parenteral nutrition was given in 31.3%. Median survival, calculated from the day of first hospitalization, was 35 days. On univariate analysis, several clinical and laboratory parameters were identified as prognostically important factors. In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, 5 parameters were significant: ascites and anorexia, elevated leukocyte count and lactate dehydrogenase activity, as well as decreased albumine levels. Using these parameters, patients were divided into 3 risk groups: low-risk (presence of 0-1 factors), intermediate risk (2-3 factors), and poor-risk patients (4-5 factors). Median survival for poor-risk patients was 18 days, intermediate- and low-risk patients survived 43 and 136 days, respectively (p < 0.0001).ConclusionIn multivariate analysis, 5 prognostic factors were identified, and 3 patient groups were defined. After multicenter validation, these factors may help to guide treatment decisions in terminally ill patients with gastrointestinal tumors.Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

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