Survey of the ability of end-of-life cancer patients treated in a palliative care unit to walk to the toilet: perspective of rehabilitation

• Published in: Palliative Care Research 2015, Vol.10(4), pp.217-222
• Main Authors: Kudo, Yuki, Ito, Ikuno, Shindo, Naoko, Nagai, Hideaki, Tsuji, Tetsuya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ADL; end-of-life cancer; palliative care; walking to the toilet
• ISSN: 1880-5302; 1880-5302
• DOI: 10.2512/jspm.10.217

Purpose: There are many cancer patients who hope to be able to walk to the toilet for as long as they can before death. However, there are no reports of investigation of the ability of advanced cancer patients to go to the toilet, and how the symptoms affect this ability at the end of life in these patients. Methods: We retrospectively investigated the ability of advanced cancer patients to walk to the toilet during their final month of life in our palliative care unit. Data of a total of 154 patients who had died of cancer between January 2010 and December 2011 （median age 75.0±11.6 years） were analyzed in the study. In addition, we compared the frequencies of the symptoms （pain, shortness of breath, drowsiness, delirium, opiate use, oxygen use） between the walking group and the non-walking group. Results: Of the 154 patients, 79 （51.3%） were able to walk to the toilet in the month before their death, 54 （35.1%） in the two weeks before their death, and 33 （21.4%） in the final week before their death. The walking group showed more shortness of breath as compared to the non-walking group. The non-walking group showed more delirium and drowsiness. Conclusion: This study showed that the ADL are relatively preserved in terminal cancer patients. There is the possibility of providing support to their physical ability by rehabilitation. The consciousness level and shortness of breath should take into consideration to provide rehabilitation.