Hospice Use in Patients With Cancer: A Comprehensive Clinical Literature Review

BACKGROUND: Patients with cancer, particularly those with aggressive types of cancer, can benefit from hospice care at the end of life. Providers require more information about patients with cancer who do not use hospice care. With this information, oncology nurses can provide individualized informed care to improve quality of life for patients with advanced or aggressive cancers. OBJECTIVES: This review aims to provide an overview of research outcomes of hospice use in the United States and answer the following question: "What are the differences in hospice use among patients with cancer?" METHODS: ProQuest Central, PubMed (R) , Scopus (R) , and CINAHL (R) databases were searched for articles published from 2017 to 2023. Seventeen studies were included. FINDINGS: Despite increased use over time, hospice services are underutilized among patients with cancer in general. Disparities in hospice use were noted across different types of cancer and individuals of different races or ethnicities, among other considerations. Based on findings from this review, oncology nurses can advocate for patients to receive hospice services that provide quality end -of -life care.