Table 1

Summary of reported findings and proportion of hospital deaths for all cancers and haematological malignancies.

Study

Country

Dates of deaths

Total patients (% hospital deaths)

Main findings

All cancers

Haematological malignancy

Aabom, 2005 [12]*

Denmark

01/96-12/98

4,092 (70)

129 (84)

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from 'haematological' cancers (coding not specified) were more likely to die in institutions (hospital/nursing home).

Bruera, 2002 [13]*

USA

09/97-08/98

1,466 (57)

206 (84)

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from 'hematologic' (coding not specified) were more likely to die in hospital.

Bruera, 2003 [14]*

USA

09/96-08/98

13,577 (51)

1,223 (NA)

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from 'haematological' cancers (coding not specified) were more likely to die in hospital.

Cardenas-Turanzas, 2006 [15]*

USA

1999-2000

866 (58)

146 (79)

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from 'leukaemia and lymphoma' were more likely to die in hospital than elsewhere (home/nursing home/hospice).

Cohen, 2006 [16]*

Belgium

2001

15,0008 (54)

1,109 (75)

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from 'hematologic' cancers were more likely to die in hospital than home/care home/elsewhere.

¹Cohen, 2008 [17] *

Belgium

Netherlands

Sweden

Scotland

England

Wales

2003

2003

2002

2003

2003

2003

14,632 (59)

38,181 (31)

21,294 (85)

15,145 (57)

127,346 (49)

8,419 (60)

1,143 (71)

2,981 (47)

1,996 (91)

1,053 (74)

10,107 (70)

575 (78)

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from 'hematologic malignancies' were more likely to die in hospital/care home than outside hospital. This was consistent across all countries included.

Costantini, 1993 [18]*

Italy

01/86-12/90

12,315 (69)

828 (79)

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from 'leukaemia-lymphoma' were more likely to die in an institution (hospital/elderly care home).

Costantini, 2000 [19]*

Italy

1991

17,597 (48)

1,192 (64)

Compared to all other specified cancer deaths, patients dying from cancers of the 'haemopoietic system' were more likely to die in a hospital/elderly care home.

Davison, 2001 [20]*

UK

July-Dec 1977/87/97

1,324 (47)

83 (75)

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from cancer of the 'lymphatic' and 'haemopoietic tissue' were more likely to die in hospital and less likely to die in a hospice.

Declich, 1991 [21]*

Italy

01/85-12/88

970 (18)

112 (27)

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from 'lymphoma' and 'haematopoietic neoplasms' were more likely to die in hospital (with the exception of colon cancer).

Decker, 2006 [48]

UK/USA

1995-1998

UK 59,604 (56) USA 51,668 (74)

NA

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from cancer of the 'lymphatic' and 'haematopoietic' tissue aged ≥40 years were less likely to die at home (12% UK; 14% USA).

Gatrell, 2003 [22]*

UK

1993-2000

6,900 (35)

NA

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from 'lymphatic system' cancer were more likely to die in hospital.

Higginson, 1998 [23]

UK

1985-1994

1,344,187 (66)

NA

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from cancers of the 'lymphatic' or 'haematological system' were less likely to die at home.

Hunt, 1996 [24]*

Australia

1990

2,800 (NA)

260 (NA)

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from 'haematological' cancers (coding not specified) were more likely to die in a Metropolitan Public Hospital.

Hunt, 2001 [25]*

Australia

1990-1999

29,230 (55)

3,045 (NA)

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from 'lymphoma', 'multiple myeloma' and 'leukaemias' (coding not specified) were more likely to die in a Metropolitan Public Hospital.

Lock, 2005 [26]

UK

1995-1999

315,462 (50)

NA (66)

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from 'lymphatic' and 'haematopoietic' cancers aged ≥75 years, were more likely to die in hospital and less likely to die in a hospice.

McCusker, 1983 [27]*

USA

1976-1978

2,989 (70)

315 (82)

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from 'leukaemia and lymphoma' (coding not specified) were more likely to die in an acute care hospital.

Polissar, 1987 [28]*

USA

1968-1981

22,456 (61)

978 (73)

Compared to other common cancers (9 selected cancer sites) patients with 'non-Hodgkin lymphoma' were the most likely to die in hospital.

Roder, 1987 [29]

Australia

1981 & 1985

1,582 (37)

NA (57)

Compared to other common cancers (8 selected sites), patients with 'haematological malignancies' (leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma) were more likely to die in a Metropolitan Public Hospital.

Ross, 2007 [30]*

UK

1995-2000

31,812 (41)

2,638 (62)

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from haematological malignancy (all diagnoses combined) were more likely to die in hospital and less likely to die in a hospice.

Saugo, 2008 [31]*

Italy

2004

350 (75)

31 (87)

Compared to all other cancer deaths, patients dying from 'haematological' cancers ≥50 years were more likely to die in hospital.

¹ Data on place of death only given for hospital and care home combined with the exception of Sweden, where care home is not a registered category.

NA = not available; *Included in meta-analysis.

Howell et al. BMC Palliative Care 2010 9:9   doi:10.1186/1472-684X-9-9