Introduction:

according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer has become one of the leading causes of death worldwide due to its progressive increase, if there is no control of its spread. The joint assessment of the patients by different specialists who assume their approach from different perspectives always improves their care and in the case of cancer patients this is not an exception.

Objective:

to characterize cancer patients admitted for comorbidities at "Dr. Celestino Hernández Robau" University Hospital in Villa Clara province.

Methods:

a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at "Dr. Celestino Hernández Robau" University Hospital from January to December 2020, through documentary review of the medical records at discharge.

Results:

females aged 60 years and over predominated; lung, breast, and colorectal tumours predominated in this gender, as well as lung, prostate, and hemolymphopoietic tumours in males. Lung tumour was the most frequent location; pneumonia prevailed among the comorbidities, in females older than 60 years. Patients admitted for diabetes mellitus had a stable disease, followed by those who were in progression; those who were admitted with heart failure had a lung or larynx tumour.

Conclusions:

patients admitted for having a lung tumour were associated with a greater number of complications and deaths at discharge. We recommend improving a comprehensive care of these patients by oncologists and internists.