What is the most common cause of death in a cancer patient?

[quocdat181]

I don't know what's the most common cause (complications) to death from cancer? I don't mean which cancer cause death? Thanks!

[Angel]

According to the existing medical literature "infection" is one of the most common cause of death. Moreover, deaths have multiple causes, and attributing death to one disease does not recognize the complexity of the issue.

"In view of the fact that the science of nosology (the determination of cause of death) is unlikely to ever be perfected, cause-specific mortality estimates must always be interpreted with caution in the context of related statistics on disease incidence and relative survival." (Colin B. Begg, Ph.D., and Deborah Schrag, M.D., of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York)

I don't know whether you are a medical person or not, if yes then following information would be useful for you.

Causes of death in cancer patients
Ambrus JL, Ambrus CM, Mink IB, Pickren JW, Journal of Medicine 1975;6(1):61-4

Causes of death in the year 1970 were analyzed retrospectively on the basis of clinical and pathologic reports of 506 cases in the Roswell Park Memorial Institute and Hospital. The single major cause of death was infection (36%), which was also a contributory factor in an additional 68% of the cases. Other important causes of death were hemorrhagic and thromboembolic phenomena (18%), which also were contributory factors in an additional 43%. Organ invasion by neoplastic cells including hepatic failure was the major cause of death in 10% and was a contributory factor in 5%. Cachexia was reported as major cause of death in 1% and as contributory factor in 0.4%. Respiratory failure due to various causes (including aspiration) was the main mechanism of death in 19% and a contributory factor in 3%. Cardiovascular insufficiency was the major cause of death in 7% and a contributory factor in 3%.



An investigation of the cause of death from cancer
Houten L, Reilley AA, Journal of Surgical Oncology, 1980;13(2):111-6

Four thousand seven hundred twenty-eight autopsies performed at the Roswell Park Memorial Institute were reviewed to determine causes of death from cancer. The duration of the disease from the date of diagnosis to death, the primary site of the tumor, a detailed description of the presence or absence of metastatic tumor at a series of sites, and an estimate of the total tumor mass were included in the evaluation. Twenty-three common primary sites were selected for investigation. These sites represented 99% of the total series. Nine causes of death were described. These were respiratory failure, infection, toxic drug reaction, hepatic failure, renal failure, shock or heart failure, adrenal gland failure, electrolyte imbalance, and central nervous system failure. Some of these associations were obviuosly due to the direct destruction of the organ in question. There are some differences, however, comparing lung lesions to hepatic lesions. These and other factors are recited in the text.

[quocdat181]

Thanks you for you answer quickly. I'm a medical person, your inf is exactly my needs.