Abstract P6-06-56: Emergency room visits and hospital admission rates after curative chemotherapy for breast cancer. A retrospective single center experience
Authors: Pittman NM , Mates M , Hopman WM 
Published: August 2014

Purpose:Patients undergoing curative (adjuvant or neoadjuvant) chemotherapy (CT) for breast cancer in the Southeast Ontario Local Heath Integration Network (LHIN) have higher rates of emergency room (ER) visits and hospital admissions (HA) compared to other LHINs in Ontario, Canada. This study is to determine factors associated with ER visits and HA after curative chemotherapy for breast cancer in a tertiary Ontario hospital.

Methods:A retrospective study was conducted of all patients who completed at least one cycle of curative CT for breast cancer at the Cancer Centre for Southeastern Ontario (CCSEO) in 2011 and 2012. We recorded all ER visits and/or HA within 30 days of any cycle of CT. Data collected included demographics, co-morbidities, type and date of surgery, pathologic tumour characteristics (stage, grade and receptor status), type of CT (adjuvant or neoadjuvant) and number of cycles, use and type of granulocyte-colony stimulating factors (G-CSF). We recorded dates and reasons for ER visits, referring patterns to the ER, date of admission and length of stay. Chi-square and t-tests were calculated to determine factors associated with ER visits and HA.

Results:149 patients received curative CT at the CCSEO in 2011 and 2012. Mean age was 58 (range 31-88). 97.3% of patients were female. Comorbidities included hypertension (28.4%), diabetes (10.1%), dyslipidemia (10.1%), coronary artery disease (4.7%) and COPD (2%). Stage distribution was: 4.3% stage 1, 48.6% stage 2 and 36.4% stage 3. 60.8% of patients had grade 3 tumors. 69.8% were ER positive and 61.1% were PR positive. 26.2% were Her2 positive. 62.4% had breast conserving surgery and 56.4% had sentinel lymph node biopsy. Most patients received adjuvant CT (85.2%). The most common CT regimen was FEC-D (89.9%), followed by TC (5.4%) and CMF (4%). 88.6% of patients received G-CSF (either Neupogen or Neulasta) at some point during CT. 53% (n = 79) of patients were seen in the ER at least once within 30 days of CT while 13.4% (n = 20) were admitted to hospital. 36.7% (n = 29) had multiple ER visits. There were a total of 133 ER visits. The most common causes of ER visits were fever without neutropenia (23.3%), pain (13.5%) and febrile neutropenia (9%). Most ER visits occurred on weekdays (74%). We analyzed the following factors associated with ER visits and HA rates: age, gender, comorbidities, TNM staging, grade, receptor status, type of surgery and CT (adjuvant versus neoadjuvant). The only statistically significant factor associated with a higher likelihood of ER visits was stage IIIC breast cancer (p = 0.045). Statistically significant factors associated with HA were tumor size with T2 more likely to be admitted (p = 0.019), adjuvant CT (p = 0.045) and number of CT cycles (p = 0.017).

Conclusions:Over half of all patients receiving curative CT for breast cancer at the CCSEO in 2011 and 2012 visited the ER at least once and more than 1/3 required multiple visits. The only factor associated with ER visits included stage of disease. Factors associated with HA were tumour size, adjuvant CT and number of CT cycles. While most patients received G-CSF at some point during their CT, febrile neutropenia was still the third most common reason for ER visits.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P6-06-56.