Table 3

Clinical area at time of death in 240 patients diagnosed with AML, DLBCL or myeloma at the two HMRN study hospitals between May 2005 and April 2008 who died in hospital before May 2010, and variation by cancer type, discussion about place of death and specialties contributing to care ≤30 days and ≤7 days before death

Clinical area at time of death
All hospital deathsHaemato- oncologyElderly/general medicineICU/HDUPalliative careRenalA&EOther*Not Known
N (%)N (%)N (%)N (%)N (%)N (%)N (%)N (%)N
Total240 (100)98 (100)52 (100)26 (100)18 (100)12 (100)9 (100)22 (100)3
Cancer type
 AML81 (33.8)48 (50.0)10 (19.2)11 (42.3)5 (27.8)2 (22.2)4 (18.2)1
 DLBCL78 (32.5)23 (23.5)22 (42.3)10 (38.5)7 (38.9)1 (8.3)4 (44.4)9 (40.9)2
 Myeloma81 (33.8)27 (27.6)20 (38.5)5 (19.2)6 (33.3)11 (91.7)3 (33.3)9 (40.9)
Discussion about place of death
 No152 (63.3)57 (58.2)32 (61.5)25 (96.2)5 (27.8)9 (75.0)8 (88.9)14 (63.6)2
 Yes88 (36.7)41 (41.8)20 (38.5)1 (3.8)13 (72.2)3 (25.0)1 (11.1)8 (36.4)1
Specialties contributing to care ≤30 days before death†
 Haemato-oncology216 (90.0)98 (100.0)42 (80.8)22 (84.6)13 (72.2)12 (100.0)9 (100.0)18 (81.8)2
 Elderly/general medicine133 (55.4)41 (41.8)52 (100)9 (34.6)7 (38.9)6 (50.0)3 (33.3)15 (68.2)
 ICU/HDU62 (25.8)15 (15.3)10 (19.2)26 (100)4 (33.3)2 (22.2)5 (22.7)
 Palliative82 (34.2)34 (34.7)14 (26.9)3 (11.5)18 (100)2 (16.7)1 (11.1)9 (40.9)1
 Renal29 (12.1)8 (8.2)4 (7.7)4 (15.4)12 (100)1 (4.5)
 A&E77 (32.1)19 (19.4)26 (50.0)12 (46.2)2 (11.1)1 (8.3)9 (100)8 (36.4)
 Other131 (54.6)53 (54.1)22 (42.3)16 (61.5)9 (50.0)5 (41.7)4 (44.4)22 (100)
Specialties contributing to care ≤7 days before death†
 Haemato-oncology182 (75.8)98 (100.0)28 (53.8)22 (84.6)4 (22.2)8 (66.7)6 (66.6)16 (72.7)
 Elderly/general medicine85 (35.4)18 (18.4)52 (100)5 (19.2)3 (25.0)7 (31.8)
 ICU/HDU52 (21.7)9 (9.2)8 (15.4)26 (100)3 (25.0)2 (22.2)4 (18.2)
 Palliative69 (28.8)25 (25.5)13 (25.0)3 (11.5)18 (100)1 (8.3)1 (11.1)7 (31.8)1
 Renal27 (11.3)7 (7.1)4 (7.7)3 (11.5)12 (100)1 (4.5)
 A&E38 (15.8)7 (7.1)14 (26.9)6 (23.1)9 (100)2 (9.1)
 Other77 (32.1)26 (26.5)8 (15.4)9 (34.6)7 (38.9)3 (25.0)2 (22.2)22 (100)
  • *Other includes: coronary care unit/Cardiology (n=7), general surgery (n=7), infectious disease (n=2), respiratory (n=2), gastroenterology (n=1), orthopaedic (n=1), rehabilitation (n=1), plastic surgery (n=1).

  • †Includes input provided by any clinical specialty, which is additional to that given by the main provider shown in the column heading.

  • A&E, accident and emergency department; AML, acute myeloid leukaemia; DLBCL, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma HMRN, Haematological Malignancy Research Network; ICU/HDU, intensive care unit/high dependency unit.