Associations between Mild Cognitive Dysfunction and End-of-Life Outcomes in Patients with Advanced Cancer

Cognitive function of patients with advanced cancer is frequently compromised.

To determine the extent that patients' cognitive screening scores was associated with their end-of-life (EoL) treatment preferences, advance care planning (ACP), and care.

Patients were interviewed at baseline and administered a cognitive screen. Caregivers completed a postmortem assessment.

Patients with distant metastases and disease progression after first-line chemotherapy and their caregivers (n = 609) were recruited from outpatient clinics and completed baseline and postmortem assessments.

In logistic regression models adjusting for patients' age, education level, and performance status, patients' scores on the Pfeiffer Short Portable Mental Status exam at baseline predicted ACP, treatments, and treatment preferences at baseline, and location of death and caregiver perceptions of the patients' death in a postmortem assessment.

For each additional error, patients were less likely to consider the intensive care unit a bad place to die (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.81; confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.66-0.98; p = 0.03) and less likely to have an inpatient hospice stay (AOR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.40-1.00; p = 0.05). After death (n = 318), caregivers were more likely to perceive that patients died at patients' preferred location (AOR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.01-1.88; p = 0.04) and less likely to perceive that patients preferred to extend life over relieving discomfort (AOR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.40-0.99; p = 0.05).

Patient cognitive screening scores were associated with EoL outcomes. Rather than avoid patients who are cognitively impaired, oncologists should consider ACP with them.