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BACKGROUND: Although improvements in survival have been achieved for patients with metastatic breast cancer, some patients experience early death after diagnosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: = 3,317), when human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 was routinely collected, and examined factors associated with early death. RESULTS: 8.5 higher odds of dying, and uninsured versus insured patients had >2.5 higher odds of death). In addition, in some subgroups (e.g., no insurance and triple negative disease), more than half of patients died within 6 months. Region was also associated with early death. CONCLUSION: 2017;22:386-393 IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: With nearly one quarter of patients in our dataset diagnosed in 2011 dying within 6 months of diagnosis, our findings highlight the persistent and critical need of further characterization and identification of patients who are risk for poor outcomes in order to optimize care, impact change, and improve outcomes for all women with metastatic breast cancer. Our data also emphasize the need for interventions among those at highest risk for early death. These interventions would likely promote immediate referral for clinical trial participation, early palliative care referrals, and additional supportive services, optimizing equitable patient access to cancer treatment and care.
Vaz-Luís et al. (Mon,) studied this question.