Table 1. Demographic and disease characteristics of patients (n=155).

Variable	Mean (range)
Age (years)	55.9 (22–82)
Length of illness (months)	13 (0–264)
Gender	(%)
Female	45
Male	55
Education level
Below year 10	30.7
Year 10/school certificate	30.1
Year 12/high school certificate	10.5
Tertiary non-university	9.8
University	19.0
Marital status
Married or de facto	68.6
Single	13.7
Divorced or separated	9.8
Widowed	7.8
Type of cancer
Breast	21.0
Colorectal	18.2
Melanoma	15.4
Prostate	14.0
Lymphoma	9.0
Other	22.4
Stage of cancer
Local	56.7
Metastasis	43.3
Estimated prognosis
Weeks to months	32.6
Years	51.8
Normal life expectancy	15.6