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.