[Quality of life in cancer patients in integrated home oncological care and hospice: comparative study.]

BACKGROUND:Measuring quality of life and factors influencing it such as pain and anxiety is a major part of the overall assessment of cancer patients. There are different clinical settings aimed at satisfying the needs of this patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the different perceptions of quality of life in cancer patients in integrated home oncological care (ADI) and hospice. METHODS:We invited to participate all subjects suffering from oncological pathology followed with home care activities at ANT, ODO Bat-Bari Nord and inpatients at the hospice "Mons. Aurelio Marena" in Bitonto (BA) from 15/10/2019 to 15/07/2020. During the 4 collection phases, BPI, STAI-Y 1-2, EORTC were administered. RESULTS:80 subjects were consecutively enrolled, divided in the same proportion in ADI and hospice. At the end of the study the pain intensity in subjects in ADI was significantly lower than baseline (p=0.02) and the level shown by subjects hospitalized in hospice (p=0.01). No differences in anxiety were found between the settings; lower levels were found among ADI subjects (p=0.03) and those living with families (p=0.01). The EORTC QLC-30 scores trend shows a progressive worsening of the quality of life, in particular in the subjects in hospice (p=0.021). DISCUSSION:The research suggests that time at home (ADI) compared to hospice can impact on pain perception, quality of life and anxiety levels. In addition, the presence of the family and therefore the closer ties that have always been with us, seems to be a determining factor of support for the individual able to positively affect the levels of anxiety. It is desirable to investigate the prognostic value of the quality of life perceived by patients.