45% of end-of-life cancer patients potentially overtreated: 5 study notes

45% of end-of-life cancer patients potentially overtreated: 5 study notes 
Becker's Hospital Review; by Elizabeth Gregerson; 2/28/25 
Almost half of all Medicare enrollees with cancer nearing end of life receive aggressive overtreatment as opposed to supportive palliative or hospice care, according to a study published Feb. 21 in JAMA Health Forum. Here are five things to know from the study:

1. Researchers from ... Vanderbilt University Medical Center analyzed data from 33,744 Medicare enrollees who died from breast, prostate, pancreatic or lung cancer, ...
2. Of those patients, 45% received potentially aggressive end-of-life care, defined as multiple acute care visits within days of death.
3. While 70% of patients received hospice care within their last month of life, more than 16% of those patients received hospice care for less than three days.
4. Overall use of advanced care planning and palliative care among Medicare enrollees was less than 25%.
5. "Having clear and honest communication between patients, their caregivers and providers regarding disease prognosis and advanced planning is crucial," Youngmin Kwon, PhD, a research fellow with the department of health policy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said ...

Editor's note: Click for a related post, "Study shows end-of-life cancer care lacking for Medicare patients."