Percentage of Patients who Died from Cancer Receiving Systemic Cancer-Directed Therapy in the Last 14 Days of Life

Patients who received systemic cancer-directed therapy in the last 14 days of life. 

Definitions: 

Systemic Cancer-Directed Therapy includes

• All traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy (such as alkylating agents, antimetabolites, plant alkaloids and terpenoids, topoisomerase inhibitors, and antitumor antibiotics); 
• Immunotherapy;
• Biologics (such as Herceptin, Rituxan); and 
• Targeted agents  

Do not include supportive care therapies (e.g., growth factors, bisphosphonates, RANK ligand inhibitors, nausea medications or fluids if these are not given in association with “systemic cancer-directed therapy”). Hormonal therapies and steroids are not included in this systemic cancer directed therapy definition.