Objective: To determine the factors influencing the necessity of holding death conferences. Methods: Data of 416 cancer patients who died in the palliative care unit of the National Cancer Center Hospital East between August 2013 and February 2015 were reviewed. Patients’ medical charts and data sheets of conferences held after their deaths were analyzed. Results: A total of 25.7% of participants saw the necessity of holding death conferences. Multiple logistical regression analyses revealed four independent factors that influenced the holding of death conferences: age <50 years; length of stay in the palliative care unit ≥20 days; epidural analgesia; aphonia; and abdominal distention. Conclusion: These factors might explain nurses’ difficulty in providing end-of-life care for cancer patients.

This study aimed to clarify financial issues of cancer patients and their families through consultation records. At four sites, 125 reports of individual consultations with regard to employment and finances through financial planner and certified social insurance labor consultant were analyzed using text mining. The mean age of participants was 54.0 ± 10.1 years, and 70 were female (56.0%). The most frequent five words and their co-occurring words were as follows: “month” (104 times; co-occurring words: “leave of absence” and “year”), “injury and sickness allowance” (93 times; co-occurring words: “receive” and “leave of absence”), “current” (72 times; co-occurring words: “receive” and “income”), “work” (68 times; co-occurring words: “contents” and “continue”), and “treatment” (62 times; co-occurring words: “living” and “income”). Our result indicated that participants felt anxious about finances and impact on their life associated with cancer treatment. In addition, cancer patients and their families received advice about timing, ways, and choice of return to work, resigning, and continuing to work, and use of public system including injury and sickness allowance that people can use during their leave of absence from consultants.

Objectives: To clarify the content of death conferences. Methods: 60 death conferences held in the palliative care unit of the National Cancer Center Hospital East between May 2012 and November 2014 were analyzed in a retrospective study. Medical records and notes from the time of the meeting were used. Results: 170 units of data were abstracted from the death conferences held during the studied period. These data were categorized into five groups: 1. supporting family members as subjects of care, 2. understanding and cherishing patient’s thoughts, 3. reducing symptoms and relieving pain, 4. realizing the importance of communication between medical personnel, and 5. becoming anxious due to interaction with patients. Conclusion: The results suggest that the death conference is a useful opportunity to look back on support from various perspectives and directions.