Association Between Oral Health Status and Survival Time in Terminally Ill Cancer Patients
- Authors
- Lee, Yoo Jeong; Hwang, In Cheol; Choi, Youn Seon; Ahn, Hong Yup; Lee, Eun Jeong; Kim, Da Eun
- Issue Date
- Dec-2023
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Keywords
- neoplasm; oral health; oral hygiene index; terminal care; survival
- Citation
- American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
- Indexed
- SCIE
SCOPUS
- Journal Title
- American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
- URI
- https://scholarworks.korea.ac.kr/kumedicine/handle/2021.sw.kumedicine/65126
- DOI
- 10.1177/10499091231221204
- ISSN
- 1049-9091
1938-2715
- Abstract
- Introduction: Patients with terminal cancer often experience various oral problems. Whether oral health status is associated with the survival of terminally ill cancer patients receiving palliative care remains unclear. Methods: We analyzed the data of 59 Korean patients with terminal cancer receiving palliative care, including their oral health status, using a modified Korean version of the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT). Patients were categorized into "Good," "Moderate," or "Poor" groups based on OHAT scores. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare the median survival time, and the prognosis between groups was estimated using Cox proportional hazard models. Results: The most common oral symptoms observed were xerostomia (69.5%) and mucositis (17.0%). Significantly shorter survival times were observed in patients with hyperbilirubinemia, elevated creatinine levels, and no use of dentures. The "Poor" group had a shorter survival than the "Good" oral group (P = .010). A multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that the "Poor" group was significantly associated with poor survival compared to the "Good" group (hazard ratio, 2.05; P = .047). Conclusion: Terminally ill cancer patients with poor oral health may have a higher risk of shorter survival. Palliative care professionals should pay attention to oral health. Further research is needed to determine the effects of oral care on survival.
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