Need for hospital care and palliative treatment for prostate cancer treated with noncurative intent.

Abstract

We investigate the ultimate need for palliative treatments and hospital care in prostate cancer patients treated with noncurative intent. A retrospective analysis was done of 514 prostate cancer patients who died between 1988 and 1990. Of the patients who later died of prostate cancer 61% needed 1 or more palliative treatments (transurethral resection of the prostate, radiation treatment or upper urinary tract diversion) before death. An average of 5 weeks was spent in the hospital due to prostate cancer. Patients who failed deferred treatment (thus dying of prostate cancer) needed a considerable amount of hospital care and palliative therapy before they ultimately died of the disease.