Table 2.
Rates of Communication About Palliative Care Needs According to Stage at Diagnosis
| No. of Patients (%)a | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Topic | Discussed | Not Discussed | P |
| Physical symptoms | |||
| Stage I–II | 109 (75) | 37 (25) | .28 |
| Stage III–IV | 97 (80) | 24 (20) | |
| Emotional symptoms | |||
| Stage I–II | 68 (46) | 78 (54) | .62 |
| Stage III–IV | 60 (50) | 61 (50) | |
| Spiritual concerns | |||
| Stage I–II | 26 (18) | 120 (82) | .04 |
| Stage III–IV | 34 (28) | 87 (72) | |
| Practical needs | |||
| Stage I–II | 44 (30) | 102 (70) | .42 |
| Stage III–IV | 42 (35) | 79 (65) | |
| Chances of curing cancer | |||
| Stage I–II | 97 (66) | 49 (34) | .03 |
| Stage III–IV | 65 (54) | 56 (46) | |
| Goal of treatment | |||
| Stage I–II | 116 (81) | 27 (19) | .51 |
| Stage III–IV | 90 (78) | 26 (22) | |
| Healthcare proxy | |||
| Stage I–II | 55 (38) | 88 (62) | .88 |
| Stage III–IV | 46 (39) | 71 (61) | |
| Living will | |||
| Stage I–II | 18 (12) | 126 (88) | .29 |
| Stage III–IV | 10 (8) | 108 (92) | |
| Life-sustaining treatment | |||
| Stage I–II | 29 (22) | 108 (78) | .98 |
| Stage III–IV | 24 (21) | 90 (79) | |
| Potential complications | |||
| Stage I–II | 102 (70) | 44 (30) | .47 |
| Stage III–IV | 79 (65) | 42 (35) | |
| Hospiceb | |||
| Stage III–IV | 14 (12) | 107 (88) | |
a
The numbers for stage groups are not identical across items, because some patients did not answer every item in the study questionnaire.
b
The number for this item was 121, the number of patients with stage III and IV disease, for whom a discussion of hospice likely would be most relevant.