Factors associated with suffering from dying in patients with cancer: a cross-sectional analytical study among bereaved caregivers.

Background: In Colombia, cancer incidence is increasing, as is the demand for end-of-life care. Understanding how patients who die from cancer experience this phase will allow the identification of factors associated with greater suffering and actions to improve end-of-life care. We aimed to explore associations between the level of suffering of patients who died from cancer and were cared for in three Colombian hospitals with patient, tumor, treatment, and care characteristics and provided information.

Knowledge of end-of-life wishes by physicians and family caregivers in cancer patients.

Objectives: To describe communication regarding cancer patient's end-of-life (EoL) wishes by physicians and family caregivers.

Methods: An online questionnaire and telephone-based surveys were performed with physicians and family caregivers respectively in three teaching hospitals in Colombia which had been involved in the EoL care of cancer patients.

Results: For 138 deceased patients we obtained responses from physicians and family caregivers.