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Cancer patients

High Hospitalization Rates and Mortality Predictors in Lung Cancer Patients

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Patients with lung cancer in Italy are experiencing high rates of hospitalization due to complications arising from the natural history of the disease. Researchers from the University of Parma conducted a retrospective study to identify clinical predictors of 30-day mortality in hospitalized patients with lung cancer. The study analyzed clinical records from patients admitted to the oncology ward of the University Hospital of Parma between 2017 and 2022, finding significant predictors of mortality, including Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) and Blaylock Risk Assessment Screening Score (BRASS).

Key Takeaways:

  • The study identified high hospitalization rates among lung cancer patients in Italy, with 251 consecutive patients enrolled in the study between 2017 and 2022.
  • The clinical predictors of 30-day mortality in hospitalized patients with lung cancer were identified as ECOG PS (p=0.028) and high BRASS (p=3 vs 11.9%).
  • The BRASS scale was found to be a simple tool for predicting 30-day mortality in hospitalized patients with lung cancer.
  • The study emphasizes the importance of early identification of clinical predictors to improve patient outcomes and reduce mortality rates.
  • The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, accounting for approximately 1.8 million deaths annually.

Statistics:

  • 251 consecutive patients with lung cancer were enrolled in the study between 2017 and 2022.
  • 27.5% of patients with ECOG PS = 2 experienced 30-day mortality, compared to 14.8% of patients with ECOG PS 0-1.
  • 34.3% of patients with high BRASS experienced 30-day mortality, compared to 11.9% of patients with intermediate-low BRASS.
  • Theglobal incidence of lung cancer is estimated to be approximately 2.2 million cases annually.

Sources:

  • Thirty-day Mortality In Hospitalised Patients With Lung Cancer: Incidence and Predictors. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 2024;14.
  • Marianna Peroni, University of Parma, Dept. of Medicine and Surgery, Parma, Italy.
  • Alessandro Leonetti, Elena Rapacchi, Giulia Mazzaschi, Fabiana Perrone, Paola Bordi, Sebastiano Buti, Marcello Tiseo, Virginia Agnetti, Fabiana Prattico, Martina Manini, Alessandro Acunzo, Francesca Marverti, and Simone Sulas, University of Parma, Italy.
  • World Health Organization (WHO). Lung Cancer. 2025.

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