Single-center cohort study of patterns in symptoms preceding acute care in patients with cancer

Patients with cancer frequently experience unplanned care with emergeny department visits and hospitalization due to dsease or treatment complications, which impacts outcomes, quality of life, and health care costs. A retrospective cohort study at the University of California San Francisco investigated patterns in symptoms preceding acute care in these patients. Among 28,708 patients with cancer, the most commonly documented symptoms were pain, nausea, and vomiting. Encounters with patients who were female and Medicaid-insured were associated with a greater symptom burden, while patients who were of White rade, aged 5 years or older, or uninsured were less likely to have a high symptom burden documented preceding acute care events. The authors conclude that these findings underscore frequently documented symptoms preceding acute care use and sociodemographic differnces, suggesting the need to develop targeted interventions for improved symptom management.