Uncovering Patterns in Symptoms Preceding Acute Care in Cancer Patients

Strategic Insights -

A new study conducted by researchers at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) has identified common symptoms that precede acute care events in cancer patients. The research, which analyzed data from 28,708 cancer patients, found that pain, nausea, and vomiting were the most frequently documented symptoms in the 30 days leading up to acute care visits. The study also highlighted the importance of understanding the patterns of symptoms that precede acute care events, as these patients often experience unplanned emergency department visits and hospitalizations, which can impact outcomes, quality of life, and healthcare costs.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study analyzed data from 28,708 cancer patients and 70,606 acute care visits, revealing 854,830 associated preceding documented symptoms.
  • Pain, nausea, and vomiting were the most frequently documented symptoms, accounting for 7.54%, 6.74%, and 5.79% of documented symptoms, respectively.
  • Female patients and those of White race accounted for the majority of acute care encounters.
  • Patients who were female (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.14; 95% CI, 1.10-1.18; P)
  • Older patients (aged 65 years or older) and uninsured patients were less likely to have reported symptoms preceding acute care visits.
  • The study highlights the need for further research on interventions to reduce patient burden, improve quality of life, and reduce the use of acute care in patients with cancer.

Statistics:

  • 28,708 cancer patients were included in the study.
  • 70,606 acute care visits were analyzed, with 854,830 associated preceding documented symptoms.
  • Pain, nausea, and vomiting were the most frequently documented symptoms, accounting for 7.54%, 6.74%, and 5.79% of documented symptoms, respectively.
  • 37,861 (53.62%) men and 39,989 (56.64%) White patients accounted for the majority of acute care encounters.
  • Female patients had a higher odds ratio (AOR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.10-1.18; P) of reporting 10 unique symptoms preceding acute care visits.
  • Patients aged 65 years or older had a lower odds ratio (AOR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.92-1.00; P = .04) of reporting symptoms preceding acute care visits.
  • Uninsured patients had a significantly lower odds ratio (AOR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.45-0.76; P

Sources:

  • Hong, J. C., et al. (2025). Patterns In Symptoms Preceding Acute Care In Patients With Cancer. JAMA Network Open, 8(4).
  • University of California San Francisco (UCSF). Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute.
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH). National Cancer Institute (NCI).
  • Conquer Cancer Career Development Award.
  • UCSF Computational Cancer Award.