Evolution of Complexity of Palliative Care Needs and Patient Profiles According to the PALCOM Scale (Part Two): Pooled Analysis of the Cohorts for the Development and Validation of the PALCOM Scale in Advanced Cancer Patients

Albert Tuca; Margarita Viladot; Gemma Carrera; Lucia Llavata; Carmen Barrera; Manoli Chicote; Javier Marco-Hernández; Joan Padrosa; Carles Zamora-Martínez; Ignacio Grafia; Anais Pascual; Carme Font; Elena Font

doi:10.3390/cancers16091744

Cancers (Apr 2024)

Evolution of Complexity of Palliative Care Needs and Patient Profiles According to the PALCOM Scale (Part Two): Pooled Analysis of the Cohorts for the Development and Validation of the PALCOM Scale in Advanced Cancer Patients

Albert Tuca,
Margarita Viladot,
Gemma Carrera,
Lucia Llavata,
Carmen Barrera,
Manoli Chicote,
Javier Marco-Hernández,
Joan Padrosa,
Carles Zamora-Martínez,
Ignacio Grafia,
Anais Pascual,
Carme Font,
Elena Font

Affiliations

Albert Tuca: Unit of Supportive Care in Cancer, Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clinic and Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Margarita Viladot: Unit of Supportive Care in Cancer, Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clinic and Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Gemma Carrera: Unit of Supportive Care in Cancer, Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clinic and Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Lucia Llavata: Unit of Supportive Care in Cancer, Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clinic and Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Carmen Barrera: Unit of Supportive Care in Cancer, Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clinic and Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Manoli Chicote: Unit of Supportive Care in Cancer, Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clinic and Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Javier Marco-Hernández: Unit of Supportive Care in Cancer, Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clinic and Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Joan Padrosa: Unit of Supportive Care in Cancer, Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clinic and Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Carles Zamora-Martínez: Unit of Supportive Care in Cancer, Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clinic and Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Ignacio Grafia: Unit of Supportive Care in Cancer, Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clinic and Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Anais Pascual: Unit of Supportive Care in Cancer, Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clinic and Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Carme Font: Unit of Supportive Care in Cancer, Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clinic and Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Elena Font: Unit of Supportive Care in Cancer, Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clinic and Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16091744
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 16, no. 9
p. 1744

Abstract

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Introduction: Identifying the complexity of palliative care needs is a key aspect of referral to specialized multidisciplinary early palliative care (EPC) teams. The PALCOM scale is an instrument consisting of five multidimensional assessment domains developed in 2018 and validated in 2023 to identify the level of complexity in patients with advanced cancer. (1) Objectives: The main objective of this study was to determine the degree of instability (likelihood of level change or death), health resource consumption and the survival of patients according to the level of palliative complexity assigned at the baseline visit during a 6-month follow-up. (2) Method: An observational, prospective, multicenter study was conducted using pooled data from the development and validation cohort of the PALCOM scale. The main outcome variables were as follows: (a) instability ratio (IR), defined as the probability of level change or death; (b) emergency department visits; (c) days of hospitalization; (d) hospital death; (e) survival. All the variables were analyzed monthly according to the level of complexity assigned at the baseline visit. (3) Results: A total of 607 patients with advanced cancer were enrolled. According to the PALCOM scale, 20% of patients were classified as low complexity, 50% as medium and 30% as high complexity. The overall IR was 45% in the low complexity group, 68% in the medium complexity group and 78% in the high complexity group (p p p p < 0.001). Conclusion: According to the PALCOM scale, more complex cases are associated with greater instability and use of hospital resources and lower survival. The data also confirm that the PALCOM scale is a consistent and useful tool for describing complexity profiles, targeting referrals to the EPC and managing the intensity of shared care.

Published in Cancers

ISSN: 2072-6694 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens
Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers/

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