Abstract: Estimating life expectancy is a fundamental component in the management of patients with advanced cancer. Accurate and reliable estimation can not only help medical staffs decide whether they should change treatment timing to offer the most appropriate care, but also help patients and their families make early plans and arrangements, which is conducive to ensure a comfortable, peaceful and dignified death for patients. This review aims to summarize the progress in the prognostic factors and assessment tools of life expectancy in patients with advanced cancer and provide a reference for their clinical use and related researches in hospice care.

Key words: cancer; terminal stage; life expectancy; prediction; review