Comparison of patient characteristics and end-of-life treatments among cancer descendants between designated cancer care hospitals and non-designated hospitals using the national claims database in Japan

Key Points

• To compare patient characteristics and end-of-life treatments in cancer patients between designated and non-designated hospitals in Japan.
• Analyzed national claims database for patient characteristics and treatments
• Compared treatment types between designated cancer care hospitals and non-designated hospitals
• Focused on palliative care, opioid prescriptions, and artificial hydration frequency
• Non-designated hospitals treated more complex patients
• Lower frequency of aggressive end-of-life treatments in non-designated hospitals
• Higher use of artificial hydration in non-designated hospitals despite lower palliative care services