CANCER

The patient has:

• Clinical findings of malignancy with widespread, aggressive or metastatic disease
  or
• Decline in performance status and/or significant unintentional weight loss

Note: The patient may still receive disease-specific treatment if it is palliative

The following information will be needed if available:

• This patient has evidence of malignant histopathology (define the cell type)
• A neoplastic histopathology is not available because (describe circumstances and basis for presumptive diagnosis)

A physician may determine that a patient has a life expectancy of six months or less even if the above findings are not present. Co-morbidities also support eligibility for hospice care.

See also Oncology