Background/aim: Continuing chemotherapy or using hospital services near the end of life (EOL) and delaying the approach to palliative care (PC) services are factors impairing quality of life near the EOL.

Patients and methods: Records of patients with pancreatic cancer treated at Helsinki University Hospital in 2013 and deceased by the end of 2014 were reviewed (N=221). The PC decision establishes the point when anticancer treatment is interrupted and the focus shifts to symptom-centered PC. The timing of the PC decision, referrals to specialized PC, use of hospital services at the EOL, and place of death were examined.

Results: The median overall survival was 13 months from diagnosis. The PC decision was made <30 days prior to death or not at all for 44% of patients. In addition, 68% of these patients used hospital service in the last month of life compared to 32% of patients with an earlier PC decision (p<0.001). A later or lacking PC decision correlated with a larger proportion of deaths in a secondary or tertiary hospital (64% vs. 36%), but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.25).

Conclusion: A late or lacking PC decision for patients with pancreatic cancer was found in almost half of the patients. There was a significant difference in the use of hospital services depending on the timing of the decision. An earlier PC decision might improve EOL care, since a late or lacking PC decision relates to a more abundant use of hospital services and an increased risk of hospital deaths.