Need for Hospital Care and Palliative Treatment for Prostate Cancer Treated with Noncurative Intent

The Dilemma of Prostate Cancer:A Growing Human and Economic Burden Irrespective of Treatment Strategies

“…Substitution of hospital admissions with ambulant visits would not significantly reduce the expenses because nearly two-thirds (62%) of the patients had at most two hospital admissions and were treated within the first year (66%) or second year (78%) of diagnosis. In accordance with three other Scandinavian studies (12)(13)(14), we found that the average consumption of health-service resources in many terms was concentrated (3 times higher) in the group of patients who finally died from prostate cancer. Our study is also in agreement with Otnes et al (12) and Aus et al (13) in terms of hospital care requirements measured as median admission time (28 days).…”

“…In accordance with three other Scandinavian studies (12)(13)(14), we found that the average consumption of health-service resources in many terms was concentrated (3 times higher) in the group of patients who finally died from prostate cancer. Our study is also in agreement with Otnes et al (12) and Aus et al (13) in terms of hospital care requirements measured as median admission time (28 days). In our study the cost profile excludes the relatively expensive endocrine treatment, consultations with the general practitioner, nursing at home and accommodation in nursing-homes.…”

Adenocarcinoma of the prostate: an expensive way to die

“…Proof or refutation thereof would require a long-term randomized study (currently underway in the Prostate Cancer Intervention Versus Observation Trial, or PIVOT). However, this study and 4 In a 1995 review, Otnes et al reported a mean hospital stay of one month. 5 This accounted for 6% of his patients duration of life from the time of diagnosis to death.…”

Treatment of the Primary Tumor in Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Current Concepts and Future Perspectives

“…Prostatic invasion of the ureters, bladder, or bladder outlet can result in incapacitating symptoms that significantly degrade a patient's quality of life in advanced disease. In a Swedish cohort of men who died with PCa between E U R O P E A N U R O L O G Y 6 9 ( 2 0 1 6 ) 7 7 5 -7 8 7 1988 and 1990 after treatment with noncurative intent, men who died of PCa required significantly more palliative interventions (including TURP, palliative radiation, and upper tract interventions) and hospital days at the end of life than patients with PCa who died of other causes (61% vs 29%, p < 0.001; 37 vs 10 d, p < 0.0001, respectively) [56]. Symptoms can be particularly prominent if primary PCa treatment involved RT or ADT alone, with 50-60% of these patients eventually developing symptoms as a result of upper or lower urinary tract obstruction [57].…”