Use of high‐flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy for patients with terminal cancer at the end of life

BACKGROUND: Few studies have focused on high‐flow nasal cannula (HFNC) usage in the last few weeks of life. The aim of this study was to identify the status of HFNC use in patients with cancer at the end of life and the relevant clinical factors. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study in a tertiary hospital in the Republic of Korea. Among patients with cancer who died between 2018 and 2020, those who initiated HFNC within 14 days before death were included. Patients were categorized based on the time from HFNC initiation to death as imminent (<4 days) and non‐imminent (≥4 days). RESULTS: Among the 2191 deceased patients with terminal cancer, 329 (15.0%) were analyzed. The median age of the patients was 66 years, and 62.9% were male. The leading cause of respiratory failure was pneumonia (70.2%), followed by pleural effusion (30.7%) and aggravation of lung neoplasms (18.8%). Most patients were conscious (79.3%) and had resting dyspnea (76.3%) at HFNC initiation. Patients received HFNC therapy for a mean of 3.4 days in the last 2 weeks of life, and 62.6% initiated it within 4 days before death. Furthermore, female sex, no palliative care consultation, no advance statements in person on life‐sustaining treatment, and no resting dyspnea were independently associated with the imminent use of HFNC. CONCLUSIONS: Many patients with cancer started HFNC therapy at the point of imminent death. However, efforts toward goal‐directed use of HFNC at the end‐of‐life stage are required.