Lipid profile and survival time in patients with terminal cancer: a cross-sectional study

Lipid profile as a prognostic factor in terminal cancer patients is controversial. This study aimed to provide useful information related to the treatment of patients with terminal cancer by examining lipid profiles and their association with survival time.

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 428 inpatients who died while receiving palliative care a university hospital in Daegu during September 2015-September 2020 and then analyzed differences in survival times and the relative risk associated with lipid profiles.

The mean survival of subjects with low low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (<130 mg/dL) was 30.10 days, which was significantly shorter than that of subjects without (P<0.001). The mean survival of subjects with high triglyceride (TG) levels (≥150 mg/dL) was 32.95 days, which was shorter than subject without (P=0.006). The difference in survival time according to total cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels was not statistically significant (P=0.068 and P=0.425, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the hazard ratios of low LDL-C levels and high TG levels in relation to shorter survival times were 4.201 [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.578-6.259] and 1.492 (95% CI, 1.063-2.195), respectively.

Low LDL-C levels and high TG levels are correlated with survival time. However, a follow-up study on the lipid profile as a predictor of the survival time of patients with terminal cancer is necessary.