Associations between perceived interpersonal support and aggressiveness of care in the last month of life among patients with advanced cancer

• Published in: Supportive care in cancer Vol. 32; no. 10; p. 682
• Main Authors: Hardt, Madeleine M., Pavao, Madison K., Korian, Sosi E., LaPlante, Charlotte D., Maciejewski, Paul K., Prigerson, Holly G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.10.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Cancer; Chemotherapy; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Nursing; Nursing Research; Oncology; Pain Medicine; Quality of life; Rehabilitation Medicine; Social support; Advanced cancer; End of life; Interpersonal support; Aggressive care; Social support; Quality of life
• ISSN: 0941-4355; 1433-7339; 1433-7339
• DOI: 10.1007/s00520-024-08892-7

Purpose To determine quality of life (QoL) domains in the months leading up to death associated with the receipt of aggressive care in the last month of life among patients with advanced cancer. Methods A multisite, prospective cohort study conducted from January 2010 to May 2015 of 59 patients with advanced cancer (distant metastases and/or progression of disease following at least first-line chemotherapy) and poor prognosis (≤ 6 months) followed through death. At baseline, a median of 4 months from death, the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire measured overall QoL and four QoL domains (i.e., interpersonal support, physical well-being, psychological, and existential). Postmortem data were collected via medical chart review and nurse/caregiver report and combined to capture the aggressiveness of end-of-life (EoL) care in patients’ last month of life. Aggressive EoL care was defined as any receipt of care in an intensive care unit, being on a ventilator, or chemotherapy in the last month of life. Results Patients with higher interpersonal support domain scores (i.e., rating the world as more “caring and responsive” to their needs and their felt support as more complete) received significantly less aggressive care in their last month of life (odds ratio = 0.39, 95% confidence interval 0.20 to 0.75, p  = 0.004). Conclusion Perceived interpersonal support is the only QoL domain assessed that was associated with aggressiveness of care in the last month of life for patients with advanced cancer. Prioritizing caring and responsive relationships for patients may decrease receipt of aggressive EoL care.