Bowel obstruction in cancer patients: performance status as a predictor of survival.

Ninety-five patients with known cancer who developed bowel obstruction were reviewed in an effort to evaluate the reliability of preadmission performance status as a predictor of outcome of therapy. Based on the review, a number of conclusions can be reached. Performance status, which is more easily measured than stage of disease at admission, is correlated with successful resolution of obstruction and survival. Many patients with known cancer who develop bowel obstruction have a nonmalignant cause of obstruction. Prolonged nonoperative treatment of cancer patients with bowel obstruction is unlikely to be successful and is fraught with complications.