Cancer Events In Belgian Nursing Home Residents (Nhr): An Eortc Prospective Cohort Study.

e13066Background: A large prospective cohort study was designed to describe cancer events, referral patterns, anticancer treatments and outcome in NHR. Methods: The study was set up in 39 nursing homes from the Armonea network in Belgium, covering 4262 nursing home beds. Cancer events were defined as a new cancer event (new cancer or progressive disease of a previously known cancer) where a diagnostic/treatment decision had to be taken; and patients with strong clinical suspicion (physician’s judgement) of a new cancer event, but where the decision was made not to take further diagnostic/therapeutic steps. Cancer events in NHR were collected during a 1y-period in these 39 nursing homes. After training, each site’s local staff identified patients with cancer events in collaboration with the treating general practitioner (GP). NHR were included after informed consent, and relevant data, including a questionnaire for the GP at baseline, were recorded at least every 3 months up to 2 years. Results: The study ...