Screening for frailty among older patients with cancer that qualify for abdominal surgery

How to compensate for frailty? The real life impact of geriatric co-management on morbi-mortality after colorectal cancer surgery in patients aged 70 years or older

In Europe, CRC is the second most common cause of cancer death, and surgery remains the mainstay curative treatment. Age and frailty are associated with an increased risk of postoperative morbidity and 1-year mortality. Chronological age is not sufficient to assess the risk of postoperative complications. The CGA has been developed to better identify frail patients. Geriatric co-management have been developed to optimize the post-operative outcomes. We analyzed the real-life of geriatric co-management within an ERAS program on surgical outcomes at 90 days and oncologic outcomes at 1 year in patients aged 70 years or older after surgery for CRC. This was a retrospective study based on a prospective cohort. Fifty-one patients with a G8 score ≤ 14 were referred to geriatricians for preoperative CGA (Frail Group). They were compared with 151 patients with a G8 score ≥ 15 (Robust Group). In the Frail Group, patients were significantly older with more comorbidities than the patients in the Robust Group. Oncologic characteristics, treatments and global post-operative outcomes were comparable between the two groups. One year after surgery mortality and recurrence rates were similar between the two groups. Our study suggests that geriatric co-management is feasible and contributes to the reduction of postoperative morbimortality. Moreover, performing the CGA after G8 score screening and completion of geriatric interventions resulted in similar 90-day postoperative outcomes, in frail patients than in robust patients. Our results confirmed the benefit of geriatric co-management, involving G8 screening, CGA, and ERAS, for frail older patients undergoing surgery for CRC.

Geriatric evaluation methods in oncology and their use in clinical studies: A systematic literature review

INTRODUCTION

Therapeutic options in oncology keep on expanding. Nonetheless, older adults are underrepresented in clinical trials and those enrolled often have a better health status than their average peers, resulting in a lack of representative evidence for this heterogenous population. The inclusion of older patients and a uniform categorization of "frailty" is becoming increasingly urgent. Standardized tools could contribute to the quality and comparability of clinical trials and facilitate clinical decisions. The aim of this literature review was to elaborate an overview of the use of geriatric evaluation (GE) methods in clinical cancer research.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a literature review of the PubMed database. Clinical pharmacotherapy studies that applied or evaluated a clearly defined system for the GE of oncological patients were included. Data retrieved encompassed the applied GE method(s), cancer type(s), and pharmacotherapy investigated, the number of included patients, study type, year of publication, as well as the primary purpose of the GE. The GEs used most frequently were depicted in more depth.

RESULTS

In this literature review, 103 publications were selected for inclusion. The biggest proportion of studies (36%, n = 34) used clearly defined, but not previously validated, GE methods (study-specific GE). Standardized GE methods encountered in at least five publications were the G8 screening test (applied in 18% of included studies, n = 17), the Balducci score (7%, n = 7), and a geriatric assessment based on Hurria (5%, n = 5). The primary purpose of GE was predominantly an appraisal of its potential role in pharmacotherapy optimization. The GE also served as baseline and outcome measure, inclusion/exclusion criterion, factor for stratified randomization, and to determine treatment allocation.

DISCUSSION

The wide range of GE methods used across studies make direct comparisons difficult, and many methods are poorly characterized and/or not previously validated. The further inclusion of representative older patients in clinical trials combined with the use of a standardized GE could help clinicians in the decision-making process.

The prevalence of sarcopenia and cachexia in older patients with localized colorectal cancer

INTRODUCTION

The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) increases with age. In combination with an ageing population, the number of older patients undergoing surgical treatment for CRC is therefore expected to increase. Sarcopenia and cachexia are potentially modifiable risk factors of a negative surgical outcome. Sarcopenia can be categorized into primary (age-related) and secondary where diseases, such as malignancy, are influential factors. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of preoperative sarcopenia and cachexia in older (≥65 years) vulnerable patients with localized CRC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients included in the randomized study "Geriatric assessment and intervention in older vulnerable patients undergoing resection for colorectal cancer," were screened for sarcopenia and cachexia prior to surgery. All patients in the present cohort were considered vulnerable with Geriatric 8 ≤ 14 points. Sarcopenia was defined according to European Guidelines (EWGSOP2), based on low muscle strength-low handgrip-strength and/or slow 5xChair-Stand-Test-and low appendicular lean mass assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Cachexia was defined as self-reported unintended weight loss >5% within three months or 2-5% with body mass index <20 kg/m².

RESULTS

Sixty-four patients (mean age 79.6 years ±6.4 years, 36 women) were assessed. Of these, 28% (n = 18, 11 women) had low muscle strength and 13% (n = 8, 4 women) fulfilled the criteria for sarcopenia, however, 33% (n = 21, 13 women) had low muscle mass. There was no correlation between low muscle strength and low muscle mass (r = 0.16, P = 0.22). The prevalence of cachexia was 36% (n = 23, 16 women). Low muscle mass was associated with cachexia (φ = 0.38, P = 0.005), but there was no association between sarcopenia and cachexia (φ = 0.01, P = 1.0).

DISCUSSION

Despite the included patients who fulfilled the criteria for vulnerability according to G8, relatively few (28%) had low muscle strength. Moreover, there was poor overlap between the prevalence of sarcopenia according to the EWGSOP2 guidelines (13%) and prevalence of low muscle mass (33%) in older patients with CRC. Of note also, there was no association between sarcopenia and cachexia, but an association between cachexia and low muscle mass, which highlights the importance of assessing muscle mass in patients with cancer.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The GEPOC trial has been prospectively registered at http://clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03719573).

Factors Related to Frailty in Older Cancer Patients Undergoing Colorectal Surgery: A Longitudinal Study

BACKGROUND

Frailty is common in older cancer patients undergoing colorectal surgery, but few studies have focused on frailty and its associations in this population.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of frailty and its associations in older cancer patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 88 cancer patients 60 years or older undergoing colorectal surgery was recruited from 1 medical center. Frailty, physical activity, functional status, anxiety, depression, and social support of the patients were assessed before surgery, at discharge post surgery, and at 1 month post surgery.

RESULTS

The prevalence of frailty in cancer patients undergoing colorectal surgery was 22.7% before surgery, decreased to 19.3% before discharge, and was 12.7% at 1 month after surgery. The proportion of prefrail patients significantly increased from 47.7% before surgery to 71.1% before discharge and was 64.6% at 1 month after surgery. Frail patients were more likely to be older and unmarried, have a lower albumin level, have lower physical activity, and be more dependent on others than nonfrail patients.

CONCLUSION

Older cancer patients undergoing colorectal surgery were more likely to be prefrail after surgery than before surgery. Assessment of frailty and its associated factors is necessary for older cancer patients undergoing colorectal surgery before and after surgery.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Frailty may occur in cancer patients after colorectal surgery and is related to malnutrition and low physical activity. Appropriate discharge planning with physical activity tracking and an appropriate diet is encouraged to prevent frailty in cancer patients after colorectal surgery.

Frailty and surgical outcomes in gastrointestinal cancer: Integration of geriatric assessment and prehabilitation into surgical practice for vulnerable patients

As life expectancy increases, the older population continues to grow rapidly, resulting in increased requirement for surgery for older patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Older individuals represent a heterogeneous group in terms of physiological reserves, co-morbidity, cognitive impairment, and disability. Owing to the lack of treatment guidelines for vulnerable patients with gastrointestinal cancer, these patients are more likely to be at risk of undertreatment or overtreatment. Hence, the identification of frail patients with gastrointestinal cancer would improve cancer treatment outcomes. Although there is no standardized geriatric assessment tool, a growing body of research has shown associations of frailty with adverse postoperative outcomes and poor prognosis after resection of gastrointestinal tract and hepatobiliary-pancreatic cancers. Emerging evidence suggests that prehabilitation, which includes exercise and nutritional support, can improve preoperative functional capacity, postoperative recovery, and surgical outcomes, particularly in frail patients with gastrointestinal cancer. We reviewed major geriatric assessment tools for identification of frail patients and summarized clinical studies on frailty and surgical outcomes, as well as prehabilitation or rehabilitation in gastrointestinal tract and hepatobiliary-pancreatic cancers. The integration of preoperative geriatric assessment and prehabilitation of frail patients in clinical practice may improve surgical outcomes. In addition, improving preoperative vulnerability and preventing functional decline after surgery is important in providing favorable long-term survival in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Further clinical trials are needed to examine the effects of minimally invasive surgery, and chemotherapy in frail patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Functional Decline in the Cancer Patient: A Review

A decline in functional status, an individual's ability to perform the normal activities required to maintain adequate health and meet basic needs, is part of normal ageing. Functional decline, however, appears to be accelerated in older patients with cancer. Such decline can occur as a result of a cancer itself, cancer treatment-related factors, or a combination of the two. The accelerated decline in function seen in older patients with cancer can be slowed, or even partly mitigated through routine assessments of functional status and timely interventions where appropriate. This is particularly important given the link between functional decline and impaired quality of life, increased mortality, comorbidity burden, and carer dependency. However, a routine assessment of and the use of interventions for functional decline do not typically feature in the long-term care of cancer survivors. This review outlines the link between cancer and subsequent functional decline, as well as potential underlying mechanisms, the tools that can be used to assess functional status, and strategies for its prevention and management in older patients with cancer.

Predicting Frailty and Geriatric Interventions in Older Cancer Patients: Performance of Two Screening Tools for Seven Frailty Definitions-ELCAPA Cohort

Screening tools have been developed to identify patients warranting a complete geriatric assessment (GA). However, GA lacks standardization and does not capture important aspects of geriatric oncology practice. We measured and compared the diagnostic performance of screening tools G8 and modified G8 according to multiple clinically relevant reference standards. We included 1136 cancer patients ≥ 70 years old referred for GA (ELCAPA cohort; median age, 80 years; males, 52%; main locations: digestive (36.3%), breast (16%), and urinary tract (14.8%); metastases, 43.5%). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) estimates were compared between both tools against: (1) the detection of ≥1 or (2) ≥2 GA impairments, (3) the prescription of ≥1 geriatric intervention and the identification of an unfit profile according to (4) a latent class typology, expert-based classifications from (5) Balducci, (6) the International Society of Geriatric Oncology task force (SIOG), or using (7) a GA frailty index according to the Rockwood accumulation of deficits principle. AUROC values were ≥0.80 for both tools under all tested definitions. They were statistically significantly higher for the modified G8 for six reference standards: ≥1 GA impairment (0.93 vs. 0.89), ≥2 GA impairments (0.90 vs. 0.87), ≥1 geriatric intervention (0.85 vs. 0.81), unfit according to Balducci (0.86 vs. 0.80) and SIOG classifications (0.88 vs. 0.83), and according to the GA frailty index (0.86 vs. 0.84). Our findings demonstrate the robustness of both screening tools against different reference standards, with evidence of better diagnostic performance of the modified G8.

Screening Tools for Identifying Older Adults With Cancer Who May Benefit From a Geriatric Assessment: A Systematic Review

Importance

Older adults with cancer are at risk of overtreatment or undertreatment when decision-making is based solely on chronological age. Although a geriatric assessment is recommended to inform care, the time and expertise required limit its feasibility for all patients. Screening tools offer the potential to identify those who will benefit most from a geriatric assessment. Consensus about the optimal tool to use is lacking.

Objective

To appraise the evidence on screening tools used for older adults with cancer and identify an optimal screening tool for older adults with cancer who may benefit from geriatric assessment.

Evidence Review

Systematic review of 4 databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL [Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature], and PubMed) with narrative synthesis from January 1, 2000, to March 14, 2019. Studies reporting on the diagnostic accuracy and use of validated screening tools to identify older adults with cancer who need a geriatric assessment were eligible for inclusion. Data were analyzed from March 14, 2019, to March 23, 2020.

Findings

Seventeen unique studies were included, reporting on the use of 12 screening tools. Most studies were prospective cohort studies (n = 11) with only 1 randomized clinical trial. Not all studies reported time taken to administer the screening tools. The Geriatric-8 (G8) (n = 12) and the Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 (VES-13) (n = 9) were the most frequently evaluated screening tools. The G8 scored better in sensitivity and the VES-13 in specificity. Other screening tools evaluated include the Groningen Frailty Index, abbreviated comprehensive geriatric assessment, and Physical Performance Test in 2 studies each. All other screening tools were evaluated in 1 study each.

Conclusions and Relevance

To date, the G8 and VES-13 have the most evidence to recommend their use to inform the need for geriatric assessment. When choosing a screening tool, clinicians will need to weigh the tradeoffs between sensitivity and specificity. Future research needs to further validate or improve current screening tools and explore other factors that can influence their use, such as ease of use and resourcing.

Use of the Geriatric-8 screening tool to predict prognosis and complications in older adults with head and neck cancer: A prospective, observational study

OBJECTIVES

To clarify the usefulness of geriatric assessment screening tools for predicting prognosis and complications in older adults with head and neck cancer (HNC).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The geriatric-8 (G8) screening tool was administered to 78 older adults with HNC at their first visit to the hospital before any treatments. The ability of the G8 to predict survival was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and determining the cut-off value using Youden's Index. The G8 and other factors related to prognosis (age, performance status (PS), Charlson comorbidity index, number of oral medicines (polypharmacy), the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score for biological nutrition status, and treatment intent (curative or palliative)) were validated by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. The survival analysis was validated in a propensity score-weighting cohort to correct for confounding factors. Correlations between these factors and complications were examined using Fishers exact test.

RESULTS

The G8 cut-off value for overall survival was 10.5 (area under the curve (AUC) 0.69; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.56-0.82). In the propensity score-weighted cohort, on Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, the hazard ratio of an abnormal G8 (<11) was 3.70 [1.59-8.61 (p = 0.002)], and the hazard ratio of PS-abnormal (≥2) was 0.85 [0.09-7.60 (p = 0.88)]. Thirty-day mortality and all-complication rates were significantly higher in the G8-abnormal group. Neither major complications nor transfer to other institutions was correlated with an abnormal G8.

CONCLUSION

The G8 was a strong prognostic factor and a possible predictor of complications in older adults with HNC.

Performance of two frailty screening tools among patients with cancer in Taiwan

Background

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is the gold standard for detecting frailty in elderly patients with cancer. Since CGA is time- and resource-consuming, many alternative frailty screening tools have been developed; however, it remains unknown whether these tools are suitable for older and adult patients with cancer. Therefore, we used the data collected for a large longitudinal study to compare the diagnostic performances of two frailty screening tools (Geriatric 8 [G8] and Flemish version of the Triage Risk Screening Tool [fTRST]) to identify frailty risk profile among patients with cancer.

Methods

Patients aged ≥20 years with newly diagnosed cancer were enrolled. Frailty screening with G8, fTRST, and CGA were performed before anti-cancer treatment. Diagnostic characteristics obtained using G8 and fTRST were analyzed by C-index, and the validity of G8 and fTRST was also determined.

Results

40.9% of the 755 patients with cancer displayed frailty on CGA. Both G8 and fTRST showed high sensitivity (80.6–88.4%) and negative predictive value (81.0–81.2%). The C-index of G8 was higher than that of fTRST (0.77 vs 0.71, p = .01). Moreover, the best G8 and fTRST cut-off points were ≤13 and ≥ 2, respectively. The validities of G8 and fTRST were also confirmed; however, frailty age differences were not observed in our study.

Conclusion

Frailty is a common problem for patients with cancer, and routine frailty screening is essential for both older and adult patients. G8 and fTRST are simple and useful frailty screening tools, while G8 is more suitable than fTRST for Taiwanese patients with cancer.

The effect of frailty on postoperative readmissions, morbidity, and mortality in endometrial cancer surgery

OBJECTIVES

To determine the impact of frailty on postoperative readmission, morbidity, and mortality among patients undergoing surgery for endometrial cancer.

METHODS

Patients with endometrial cancer undergoing hysterectomy between 2010 and 2014 were identified using the Nationwide Readmissions Database. Frailty was classified using criteria outlined by the Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Groups Frailty Diagnoses Indicators. Primary outcomes were divided by index surgical admission (intensive level of care, mortality, non-routine discharge), 30-days (readmission and mortality), and 90-days (readmission and mortality) after discharge. Multivariable log linear regression models were fit to analyze the effect of frailty on these outcomes, adjusting for patient, hospital, and clinical factors.

RESULTS

From 2010 to 2014, there were 144,809 surgical endometrial cancer cases with a 1.8% frailty rate. Frailty was associated with an increased risk of intensive level of care (aRR = 3.61, 95% CI: 2.95, 4.42), non-routine discharge (aRR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.51, 1.68), and inpatient mortality (aRR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.68, 2.51) during index admission. Frail patients were more likely to be readmitted within 30 days (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.22-1.47) and 90-days (RR 1.21, 95% CI 1.12, 1.32), and were at increased risk of mortality during their 30-day readmission (aRR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.28-2.39). Frailty was not associated with 90-day mortality. Hospitalization costs for frail patients were significantly higher than for non-frail patients during index admission and readmissions within 30 and 90 days (p < 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty affects postoperative outcomes in endometrial cancer patients and is associated with an increased rate of readmission and 30-day mortality among those who are readmitted. Gynecologic cancer providers should screen for frailty and consider outcomes in frail patients when counseling them for surgery.

Geriatric assessment and intervention in older vulnerable patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial (GEPOC trial)

BACKGROUND

The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) increases with age. Older patients are a heterogeneous group ranging from fit to frail with various comorbidities. Frail older patients with CRC are at increased risk of negative outcomes and functional decline after cancer surgery compared to younger and fit older patients. Maintenance of independence after treatment is rarely investigated in clinical trials despite older patients value it as high as survival. Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is an evaluation of an older persons' medical, psychosocial, and functional capabilities to develop an overall plan for treatment and follow-up. The beneficial effect of CGA is well documented in the fields of medicine and orthopaedic surgery, but evidence is lacking in cancer surgery. We aim to investigate the effect of CGA on physical performance in older frail patients undergoing surgery for CRC.

METHODS

GEPOC is a single centre randomised controlled trial including older patients (≥65 years) undergoing surgical resection for primary CRC. Frail patients (≤14/17 points using the G8 screening tool) will be randomised 1:1 to geriatric intervention and exercise (n = 50) or standard of care along (n = 50) with their standard surgical procedure. Intervention includes preoperative CGA, perioperative geriatric in-ward review and postoperative follow-up. All patients in the intervention group will participate in a pre- and postoperative resistance exercise programme (twice/week, 2 + 12 weeks). Primary endpoint is change in 30-s chair stand test. Assessment of primary endpoint will be performed by physiotherapists blinded to patient allocation. Secondary endpoints: changes in health related quality of life, physical strength and capacity (handgrip strength, gait speed and 6 min walking test), patient perceived quality of recovery, complications to surgery, body composition (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and bioelectric impedance), serum biomarkers, readmission, length of stay and survival.

DISCUSSION

This ongoing trial will provide valuable knowledge on whether preoperative CGA and postoperative geriatric follow-up and intervention including an exercise program can counteract physical decline and improve quality of life in frail CRC patients undergoing surgery.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Prospectively registered at Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03719573 (October 2018).

Geriatric assessment and intervention in older vulnerable patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial (GEPOC trial)

BACKGROUND

The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) increases with age. Older patients are a heterogeneous group ranging from fit to frail with various comorbidities. Frail older patients with CRC are at increased risk of negative outcomes and functional decline after cancer surgery compared to younger and fit older patients. Maintenance of independence after treatment is rarely investigated in clinical trials despite older patients value it as high as survival. Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is an evaluation of an older persons' medical, psychosocial, and functional capabilities to develop an overall plan for treatment and follow-up. The beneficial effect of CGA is well documented in the fields of medicine and orthopaedic surgery, but evidence is lacking in cancer surgery. We aim to investigate the effect of CGA on physical performance in older frail patients undergoing surgery for CRC.

METHODS

GEPOC is a single centre randomised controlled trial including older patients (≥65 years) undergoing surgical resection for primary CRC. Frail patients (≤14/17 points using the G8 screening tool) will be randomised 1:1 to geriatric intervention and exercise (n = 50) or standard of care along (n = 50) with their standard surgical procedure. Intervention includes preoperative CGA, perioperative geriatric in-ward review and postoperative follow-up. All patients in the intervention group will participate in a pre- and postoperative resistance exercise programme (twice/week, 2 + 12 weeks). Primary endpoint is change in 30-s chair stand test. Assessment of primary endpoint will be performed by physiotherapists blinded to patient allocation. Secondary endpoints: changes in health related quality of life, physical strength and capacity (handgrip strength, gait speed and 6 min walking test), patient perceived quality of recovery, complications to surgery, body composition (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and bioelectric impedance), serum biomarkers, readmission, length of stay and survival.

DISCUSSION

This ongoing trial will provide valuable knowledge on whether preoperative CGA and postoperative geriatric follow-up and intervention including an exercise program can counteract physical decline and improve quality of life in frail CRC patients undergoing surgery.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Prospectively registered at Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03719573 (October 2018).

Preoperative Assessment of Geriatric Surgical Patients: Update on Clinical Scales Used for Elective General and Digestive Surgery

BACKGROUND

Higher life expectancy in the general population entails a growing interest in the surgical management of diseases affecting elderly patients. Preoperative assessment when planning surgery needs to carefully evaluate physical and functional status of the patient. This review aims to describe the most commonly used scales in the evaluation of elderly patients scheduled for surgery and provides a useful tool to decide the scales that would be better to assess these specific patients.

METHODS

According to the PRISMA statement of publications published, we have carried out a systematic review focused on elderly patients who underwent surgical procedures in General and Surgery. Using Medline, Embase, and Cochrane library, a systematic search of the literature from 1992 to 2018 was performed. This enabled us to retrieve information from the selected articles on scales to evaluate medical fitness, functional status, or both, in the elderly or frail patients.

RESULTS

We reviewed 102 articles and selected the most frequently used assessment scales or indexes. After this extensive analysis, we selected 4 functional scales (Katz Index, Barthel Scale, Karnofsky Performance Score, and Vulnerable Elders Survey), 4 clinical scales (American Society of Anaesthesiologists Index, Charlson Comorbidity Index, Pfeiffer Test, and Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enumeration of Mortality and Morbidity Scale) and finally, 2 mixed scales (American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Surgical Risk Calculator and Edmonton Frail Scale).

CONCLUSIONS

No consensus on the use of a unified assessment scale for elderly patients exists. However, with this review, we provide a brief guideline about the most useful and used scales to perform a comprehensive assessment of geriatric patients undergoing surgery.

Utility of the Geriatric 8 for the Prediction of Therapy-Related Toxicity in Older Adults with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

BACKGROUND

The management of severe adverse events (AEs) is important in safely and effectively providing chemotherapy to older adults with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, reports on simple and DLBCL-specific predictive models for treatment-related toxicity in elderly individuals are scarce. The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of Geriatric 8 (G8) in predicting treatment-related severe AEs, nonhematological toxicity, and febrile neutropenia in older adults with DLBCL in real-world practice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a multicenter, retrospective study on 398 consecutive patients with DLBCL (aged ≥65 years) who received standard therapy at three centers in Japan (University of Fukui Hospital, the Fukui Prefectural Hospital, and the Japanese Red Cross Fukui Hospital), between 2007 and 2017.

RESULT

Multivariate logistic analysis demonstrated that the G8 score was an independent predictive factor for severe AEs. Moreover, a logistic regression model with restricted cubic spline showed a nonlinear association between the incidence of severe AEs and the G8 score. According to receiver operating characteristic analysis, the most discriminative cutoff value of the G8 for the incidence of severe AEs was 11, with an area under the curve value of 0.670. AEs occurred most often in the first course of chemotherapy and decreased as the course progressed.

CONCLUSION

The G8 score, an easy-to-use geriatric assessment tool, can be a useful prediction model of treatment-related severe AEs during standard therapy in older adults with DLBCL.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

In older patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), to accurately predict the risk of severe adverse events (AEs) in advance is essential for safe and effective treatment. This study demonstrated that the Geriatric 8 score, a simple and established geriatric assessment tool, indicated a high predictive ability for occurrence of therapy-related severe AEs in elderly patients with DLBCL who were treated with standard treatment.

Validation of the G8 screening tool in older patients with cancer considered for surgical treatment

BACKGROUND

The Geriatric 8 (G8) has proven to be one of the most sensitive frailty-screening tools for older patients with cancer undergoing systemic treatment. In this study we validated whether the G8 is also suitable for identifying impairments in their comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in older patients with cancer undergoing surgery. Thereby, we investigated the differences in postoperative outcomes between the fit and frail patients classified by the G8.

METHODS

Patients ≥70 years with a surgery indication because of a (suspected) malignant disease were prospectively enrolled. In all patients, a CGA was performed. The G8 results were assessed in parallel. The diagnostic value of the G8 was determined by comparing the result with the CGA as a reference test. Deficits in CGA was defined as ≥ two impairments of the CGA. Postoperative complications were retrospectively obtained from the medical record and compared between the fit and frail patients.

RESULTS

In total, 143 patients were enrolled. The sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value of the G8 were 82% (95% CI 70-91), 63% (95% CI 52-73), and 85% (95% CI 75-91). In the patients with an impaired G8, a significantly prolonged hospital stay, higher rate of delirium, and higher 1-year mortality rate were seen.

CONCLUSION

The G8 is a simple and useful screening tool for identifying deficits in CGA in older patients with cancer requiring surgery. Second, we concluded that patients with an impaired G8 are more at risk for a complicated recovery from surgery.

Frailty, geriatric assessment and prehabilitation in elderly patients undergoing urological surgery - is there a need for change of the daily clinical practice? Synthesis of the available literature

Introduction

The population of older people is heterogeneous and constantly growing. Over 50% of urological operations are performed in elderly patients. Some elderly patients present with frailty syndrome - a state of increased vulnerability to external stressors resulting in increased risk of hospitalizations, adverse treatment outcomes and death. Currently, there is no widely accepted system of qualification and preparation for surgical treatment developed specifically for elderly patients.

Material and methods

We searched Medline/Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane Libraries databases from 2000-2020 (week 5). The following medical subject headings (MeSH) terms were used to ensure the sensitivity of the searches: geriatric assessment, frailty, urology, and prehabilitation. Relevant articles were also identified through a manual search of the reference lists of potentially relevant articles.

Results

A total of 23 papers met the criteria and were included in the current study. Screening for frailty seems to be promising in predicting adverse outcomes, but frail patients should undergo detailed geriatric assessment (GA) which may indicate a need for preoperative intervention which can be unavailable during the hospitalization. The concept of prehabilitation is becoming increasingly discussed in thoracic and abdominal surgery, but only a few studies are available in the field of urology.

Conclusions

Geriatric assessment seems to be a valuable tool for urologists in daily clinical practice. A proper form of prehabilitation may provide enhanced recovery after surgery.

Usefulness of eight screening tools for predicting frailty and postoperative short- and long-term outcomes among older patients with cancer who qualify for abdominal surgery

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to compare the ability of eight frailty screening scores to predict short- (30-day major morbidity and mortality), long-term outcomes (12-month mortality) and to compare their accuracy for predicting frailty among older patients with cancer undergoing elective abdominal surgery with curative intent.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Consecutive patients aged ≥70 years were enrolled prospectively. The diagnostic performance of eight screening tests were evaluated: The Vulnerable Elderly Survey (VES-13), Triage Risk Screening Tool (TRST), Geriatric 8 (G8), Groningen Frailty Index (GFI), abbreviated Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (aCGA), Rockwood, Balducci and Fried score. Frailty was defined based on the Geriatric Assessment (GA) with two (2ID) or three impaired domains (3ID).

RESULTS

The study included 269 consecutive patients; median age 78 (range 70-94) years. The prevalence of frailty based on the reference GA was: 40.9% (2ID), 34.2% (3ID) and using screening tools 40-75.5%. The area under the curve (AUC) for predicting the postoperative outcome was: 0.58-0.75 (30-day morbidity), 0.54-0.71 (30-day mortality) and 0.59-0.74 (12-month mortality), respectively, being the highest for the G8. The AUC for the frailty screening tests was: 0.67-0.85 (at the 2ID) and 0.63-0.83 (at the 3ID), being the highest for the aCGA.

CONCLUSION

The G8 was the best predictor of 30-day major morbidity, 30-day and 12-month mortality. It also had the highest sensitivity and negative predictive value in frailty screening, in case of both frailty definitions. In turn, the aCGA had the highest discriminatory ability in terms of frailty screening.

Frailty screening in dermato-oncology practice: a modified Delphi study and a systematic review of the literature

Background

Appropriate management and prevention of both under‐ and overtreatment in older skin cancer patients can be challenging. It could be helpful to incorporate frailty screening in dermato‐oncology care, since frailty is associated with adverse health outcomes.

Objectives

This study aimed to identify and prioritize the requirements a frailty screening tool (FST) should fulfil in dermato‐oncology practice and to select the best existing FST(s) for this purpose.

Methods

A modified two‐round Delphi procedure was performed among 50 Italian and Dutch specialists and patients to review and prioritize a list of potential FST requirements, using a 5‐point Likert scale. Consensus was defined as a mean score of ≥4.0. A systematic literature search was performed to identify existing multidomain FSTs, which were then assessed on the requirements resulting from the modified Delphi procedure.

Results

Consensus was achieved on evaluation of comorbidities (4.3 ± 0.7), polypharmacy (4.0 ± 0.9) and cognition (4.1 ± 0.8). The FST should have appropriate measurement properties (4.0 ± 1.0), be quickly executed (4.2 ± 0.7), clinically relevant (4.3 ± 0.7), and both easily understandable (4.1 ± 1.2) and interpretable (4.3 ± 0.7). Of the 26 identified FSTs, four evaluated the content‐related domains: the Geriatric‐8 (G8), the modified Geriatric‐8 (mG8), the Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI) and the Senior Adult Oncology Program 2 (SAOP2) screening tool. Of these, the G8 was the most extensively studied FST, with the best psychometric properties and execution within 5 min.

Conclusions

The G8 appears the most suitable FST for assessing frailty in older adults with skin cancer, although clinical studies assessing its use in a dermato‐oncology population are needed to further assess whether or not frailty in this particular patient group is associated with relevant outcomes (e.g. complications and mortality), as seen in previous studies in other medical fields.

Functional recovery in senior adults undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer: Assessment tools and strategies to preserve functional status

Colorectal cancer is a widely-recognized aging-associated disease. Recent advances in the care of senior colorectal cancer patients has led to similar cancer-related life expectancy for older patients when compared to their younger counterparts. Recent data suggests that onco-geriatric patients place as much value on maintenance of functional independence and quality of life after treatment as they do on the potential improvements in survival that a treatment might offer. As a result, there has been significant interest in the geriatric literature surrounding the concept of "functional recovery," a multidimensional outcome metric that takes into account several domains, including physical, physiologic, psychological, social, and economic wellbeing. This review introduces the concept of functional recovery and highlights a number of predictors of post-treatment functional trajectory, including several office-based tools that clinicians can use to help guide informed decision making surrounding potential treatment options. This review also highlights a number of validated metrics that can be used to assess a patient's progress in functional recovery after surgery. While the timeline of each individual's functional recovery may vary, most data suggests that if patients are to return to their pre-operative functional status, this could occur up to 6 months post-surgery. For those patients identified to be at risk for post-operative functional decline this review also delineates strategies for prehabilitation and rehabilitation that may improve functional outcomes.

Multicomponent Frailty Assessment Tools for Older People with Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

To review evidence evaluating the use of multicomponent frailty assessment tools in assessing frailty in older adults with psychiatric disorders.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was conducted to identify all multicomponent frailty assessment tools (ie, a tool that assesses two or more indicators of frailty). The items of each frailty assessment tool were compared with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria for psychiatric disorders to assess construct overlap. Studies conducted in community, inpatient, and outpatient clinical settings were considered for inclusion.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults aged 60 years or older.

RESULTS

A total of 5639 records were identified following the removal of duplicates, from which 95 studies were included for review. Of the 48 multicomponent frailty assessment tools identified, no tool had been developed for, or validated in, older adult populations with a psychiatric disorder. Overall, 20 of 48 frailty assessment tools contained a psychological assessment domain, with 17 of 48 tools citing the presence of depressed mood and/or anxiety as a frailty indicator. Common areas of construct overlap in frailty assessment tools and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria included weight loss (29 of 48) and fatigue (21 of 48).

CONCLUSIONS

Significant construct overlap exists between the indicators of frailty as conceptualized in existing frailty assessment tools and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for common psychiatric disorders including major depressive episode and generalized anxiety disorder that has the potential to confound frailty assessment results. Further research is necessary to establish a reliable and valid tool to assess frailty in this population. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:1085-1095, 2019.

The vision and role of geriatric oncology in surgical treatment of the elderly patient

The phenomenon of population aging is constantly on the rise, as are the medical needs of elderly subjects. Oncological treatment concerns an ever larger number of elderly patients, raising a number of not only practical and medical questions, but also the ethical interrogations associated with therapeutic decision-making, quality of life and therapeutic obstinacy (futile medical care). Surgeons are increasingly preoccupied by elderly patients on account of the cancer rate among them, and they are compelled to cope with challenges such as morbimortality and prolonged hospitalization. Geriatric oncology is a discipline of increasing importance of which the goal consists in comprehensive care of the elderly cancer patient, care taking into full account his physical and psychological aging, his somatic and cognitive comorbidities, and, last but least, his life expectancy. The opinions and recommendations of geriatric oncologists provide increasingly more orientation for the oncological therapeutic decision-making processes. The objective of this attempt at clarification is to discuss the contributions of this discipline to everyday surgical activity, to provide surgeons with some tools facilitating initial evaluation of their patients, and to remind the reader of situations in which oncological assistance is of paramount importance.

The prevalence of frailty and its association with clinical outcomes in general surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives

to investigate the prevalence and impact of frailty for general surgical patients.

Research design and methods

we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. Studies published between 1 January 1980 and 31 August 2017 were searched from seven databases. Incidence of clinical outcomes (mortality at Days 30 and 90; readmission at Day 30, surgical complications and length of stay) were estimated by frailty subgroup (not-frail, pre-frail and frail).

Results

2,281 participants from nine observational studies were included, 49.3% (1013/2055) were males. Mean age ranged from 61 to 77 years old. Eight studies provided outcome data and were quality assessed and of fair or good quality, and one study only provided an estimate of prevalence and was not quality assessed. The prevalence estimate ranged between 31.3 and 45.8% for pre-frailty, and 10.4 and 37.0% for frailty. After pooling, Day 30 mortality was 8% (95% CI: 4-12%; I2 = 0%) for frail compared to 1% for non-frail patients (95% CI: 0-2%; I2 = 75%). Due to heterogeneity the Day 90 mortality was not pooled. Readmission rates were lower in the non-frail groups but were not pooled. Complications for the frail patients were 24%, (95% CI: 20-31%; I2 = 92%), pre-frail subgroup 9% (95% CI: 5-14%; I2 = 82%) and non-frail 5% (95% CI: 3-7%; I2 = 70%). The mean length of stay in frail people was 9.6 days (95% CI: 6.2-12.9) and 6.4 days (4.9-7.9) non-frail.

Conclusions

frailty is associated with adverse post-operative outcomes in general surgery.

Predictive values of two frailty screening tools in older patients with solid cancer: a comparison of SAOP2 and G8

Objectives

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), the gold standard for detecting frailty in elderly cancer patients, is time-consuming and hard to apply in routine clinical practice. Here we compared the performance of two screening tools for frailty, G8 and SAOP2 for their accuracy in identifying vulnerable patients.

Material and Methods

We tested G8 and SAOP2 in 282 patients aged 65 or older with a diagnosis of solid cancer and candidate to undergo surgical, medical and/or radiotherapy treatment. CGA, including functional and cognitive status, depression, nutrition, comorbidity, social status and quality of life was used as reference. ROC curves were used to compare two screening tools.

Results

Mean patient age was 79 years and 54% were female. Colorectal and breast cancer were the most common types cancer (49% and 24%). Impaired CGA, G8, and SAOP2 were found in 62%, 89%, and 94% of the patients, respectively. SAOP2 had a better sensitivity (AUC 0.85, p<0.032) than G8 (AUC 0.79), with higher performance in breast cancer patients (AUC 0.93) and in patients aged 70-80 years (AUC 0.87).

Conclusions

G8 and SAOP2 both showed good screening capacity for frailty in the cancer patient population we examined with SAOP2 showing a slightly better performance than G8.

Identification of factors predictive of postoperative morbidity and short-term mortality in older patients after colorectal carcinoma resection: A single-center retrospective study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of age on patient outcome after colorectal carcinoma (CRC) resection in patients over 65 years of age.

METHODS

This study included patients aged 65 years and older who underwent CRC resection between 2003 and 2013 at a single-center institution. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A (65-74 years old) and Group B (≥75 years old).

RESULTS

Multivariable logistic analysis of 415 patients revealed serum albumin levels on the third postoperative day (POD) (Odds Ratio (OR), 0.44; 95% CI, 0.21-0.94; P = 0.03) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.00-1.01; P = 0.04) in patients with colon cancer as predictive factors for morbidity. In addition, the multivariable logistic analysis revealed serum albumin levels (OR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.08-0.87; P = 0.03) in patients with rectal cancer as predictive factors for morbidity. The multivariate Cox Proportional Hazards Model identified re-intervention for colon cancer (Hazard Ratio (HR), 4.57; 95% CI, 1.36-15.4 P = 0.01) and for rectal cancer (HR, 11.8; 95% CI, 1.08-129 P = 0.04) as a predictive factor for 30-day mortality. Serum albumin level on the third POD was predictive of 30-day mortality (HR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.13-0.71; P = 0.01) and of 1-year mortality (HR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.17-0.66; P < 0.01) in patients with colon cancer.

CONCLUSION

Age is not predictive of postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients with CRC. Serum albumin levels on the third POD can predict morbidity and mortality for colon and rectal carcinoma in older patients undergoing colorectal resections.

Interventions to improve the outcomes of frail people having surgery: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Frailty is an important prognostic factor for adverse outcomes and increased resource use in the growing population of older surgical patients. We identified and appraised studies that tested interventions in populations of frail surgical patients to improve perioperative outcomes.

METHODS

We systematically searched Cochrane, CINAHL, EMBASE and Medline to identify studies that tested interventions in populations of frail patients having surgery. All phases of study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were done in duplicate. Results were synthesized qualitatively per a prespecified protocol (CRD42016039909).

RESULTS

We identified 2 593 titles; 11 were included for final analysis, representing 1 668 participants in orthopedic, general, cardiac, and mixed surgical populations. Only one study was multicenter and risk of bias was moderate to high in all studies. Interventions were applied pre- and postoperatively, and included exercise therapy (n = 4), multicomponent geriatric care protocols (n = 5), and blood transfusion triggers (n = 1); no specific surgical techniques were compared. Exercise therapy, applied pre-, or post-operatively, was associated with significant improvements in functional outcomes and improved quality of life. Multicomponent protocols suffered from poor compliance and difficulties in implementation. Transfusion triggers had no significant impact on mortality or other outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite a growing literature that demonstrates strong independent associations between frailty and adverse outcomes, few interventions have been tested to improve the outcomes of frail surgical patients, and most available studies are at substantial risk of bias. Multicenter, low risk of bias, studies of perioperative exercise are needed, while substantial efforts are required to develop and test other interventions to improve the outcomes of frail people having surgery.

Prognostic value of the G8 and modified-G8 screening tools for multidimensional health problems in older patients with cancer

BACKGROUND

The G8 screening tool has been developed to identify older cancer patients requiring a geriatric assessment for tailoring therapy. Little is known about its prognostic value, particularly by tumour site. An optimised version has been recently developed, but no prognostic information is available. We compared the prognostic value of both instruments overall and by tumour site.

METHODS

Data were from a prospective cohort of cancer patients ≥70 years old referred to 1 of 6 French geriatric oncology clinics between 2007 and 2014 (n = 1333). Endpoints were overall 1- and 3-year survival. Cox proportional-hazards models were built to assess the predictive value of abnormal G8 and modified-G8 scores, based on published cut-offs or by classes of increasing risk. Sensitivity analyses involved adjusting for age, gender, treatment, metastasis, and tumour site (digestive, breast, urinary tract, prostate, other solid cancers, and haematological malignancies) and stratifying by tumour site and metastatic status.

RESULTS

Abnormal scores were independently associated with overall 1-year survival: adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 4.3[G8]/4.9[modified-G8] and 3-year survival: aHR = 2.9/2.6; all p <0.0001. Associations persisted after stratifying by metastatic status and in most cancer sites (exceptions: colorectal (G8) and upper digestive cancer (both tools) [1-year analysis]; digestive cancers (both tools) [3-year analysis]). For both tools, classes of increasing risk showed a graded relationship with mortality (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results identified both abnormal G8 and modified-G8 scores as strong and consistent predictors of overall survival, regardless of metastatic status or tumour site. These findings strengthen the clinical utility of these instruments in the geriatric oncology setting.

Treatment of Metastatic Prostate Cancer in Older Adults

The aging of the population, along with rising life expectancy, means that increasing numbers of older men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and a large proportion of these men will present with metastatic disease. In this paper, we discuss recent advances in prostate cancer treatment. In particular, we review management approaches for older patients with metastatic prostate cancer based on the decision tree developed by the International Society of Geriatric Oncology, which categorized older men as "fit," "vulnerable," and "frail" according to comprehensive geriatric assessment.

Diagnostic performance of gait speed, G8 and G8 modified indices to screen for vulnerability in older cancer patients: the prospective PF-EC cohort study

Background

The diagnostic performance of tools used to screen vulnerability in older cancer patients varies widely. We assessed the diagnostic performance of gait speed (GS) for assessing vulnerability in such patients.

Methods

All consecutive outpatients 65 years and older were referred for geriatric oncology assessment (GA) before a therapeutic decision between November 2013 and April 2016 in a bicentric observational and prospective cohort study. Vulnerability was defined as impaired score on at least one of the 6 domains of the GA. GS and the G8 index and G8 modified index were assessed at the first geriatric oncology visit during the GA. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value and positive and negative likelihood ratio were estimated. The accuracy of the three tools was analysed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

Results

Among 269 included patients (mean [SD] age, 81.3 years [5.9]; 55% women, 94.4% solid tumors; 39.4% with metastasis), 252 (93.7%) had impaired GA. With the GS threshold of 1 m/s, sensitivity was 79.4% (95% CI, 73.8-84.2), specificity 64.7% (38.3-85.8), and AUC 82.0 (74.0-90.0). The corresponding values for the G8 index were 90.1% (85.7-93.5), 35.3% (14.2-61.7), and 79.0 (70.0-88.0) and G8 modified index were 89.3% (84.8-92.8), 64.7% (38.3-85.8), and 84.0 (74.0-92.0).

Conclusions

GS < 1 m/s with a single measure could be used as a new screening tool for detecting vulnerability in older cancer outpatients. This first external validation of the G8 modified index was very good.

Are enhanced recovery programs in colorectal surgery feasible and useful in the elderly? A systematic review of the literature

INTRODUCTION

Enhanced recovery programs (ERP) are no longer questionable in the management of patients undergoing surgery. However, there is some doubt as to their feasibility and efficacy in the elderly. Our goal was to systematically review the evidence-based literature concerning the feasibility of ERP in elderly patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The PubMed and Cochrane Database for systematic reviews as well as the "grey" literature between 2000 and 2015 were sought. Articles were selected if they compared ERP in elderly patients to ERP in young patients (feasibility) or compared ERP to traditional post-operative management in the elderly (efficacy).

RESULTS

Sixteen articles were identified according to the inclusion criteria. All showed that an ERP was feasible in the elderly although post-operative morbidity was higher compared to younger patients. Compared to traditional management, ERP was effective since it decreased (as in the young) the overall rate of complications and thus the duration of hospital stay. There were not enough data on the degree of implementation of ERP and the medico-economic aspects to come to any formal conclusions.

CONCLUSION

This comprehensive systematic review of the literature showed that ERP was feasible and effective in the elderly undergoing colorectal surgery. Protocols should be adapted to the particular aspects of this population. Future research should target pre-operative evaluation and the place of pre-habilitation in geriatric ERP.

Screening for frailty: older populations and older individuals

The concept of frailty as a health dimension in old age is recent and has its origin in the development of geriatric medicine. Initially an unformulated clinical intuition, it is now defined by a diminished physiological reserve of multiple organs that exposes older individuals to increased vulnerability to stressors and a higher risk of adverse outcomes.

The operational definition of frailty, however, is still debated. From a diversity of models, two emerged in the early 2000s from epidemiological studies conducted in large population-based aging cohorts. The body of research emphasized prospective associations between a frailty phenotype and a range of adverse outcomes or between a frailty index measuring the accumulation of deficits and death. A few studies showed promising spontaneous remissions in the early stages of frailty, raising expectations for effective interventions. Transitions between frailty stages and effective interventions on frailty nevertheless remain two fields needing further investigation.

More recently, these tools have been applied as screening instruments in clinical settings to guide individual decision-making and orient treatments. New questions are raised by the use of instruments developed to screen frailty in epidemiological research for assessing individual situations. Inquiring whether frailty screening is relevant opens a Pandora’s box of doubts and debates.

There are many reasons to screen for frailty both from a public health and a clinical perspective that are only exacerbated by the current demographic evolution. Open questions remain about the feasibility of frailty screening, the properties of screening tools, the relevance of an integration of socioeconomic dimensions into screening tools, and the effectiveness of interventions targeting frailty. Fifteen years after the publication of the Fried and Rockwood landmark papers proposing operational definitions of frailty, this article presents an overview of current perspectives and issues around frailty screening in populations and in individuals.

How should older adults with cancer be evaluated for frailty?

Traditionally used as a descriptive term, frailty is now a recognized medical syndrome identifying individuals with decreased physiologic reserve. Frailty is characterized by diminished strength, endurance, and reduced physiologic function. Several valid frailty screening tools exist in the literature, and these measures have been used to relate frailty to outcomes important to the older patient with cancer. Frail adults are at increased risk of adverse surgical outcomes and early findings suggest that frailty predicts poor chemotherapy tolerance. While much research is needed to explore the biologic relationships between frailty and cancer, there is an urgent need to implement frailty screening and management into the care of the older patient with cancer in order to improve outcomes in this vulnerable subset. The purpose of this paper is to provide an introduction of frailty to oncologists including a review of the definition, frailty screening tools, its clinical relevance to older patients with cancer, and a brief guide to frailty management.

Screening for Frailty in Canada's Health Care System: A Time for Action

As Canada's population ages, frailty - with its increased risk of functional decline, deterioration in health status, and death - will become increasingly common. The physiology of frailty reflects its multisystem, multi-organ origins. About a quarter of Canadians over age 65 are frail, increasing to over half in those older than 85. Our health care system is organized around single-organ systems, impairing our ability to effectively treat people having multiple disorders and functional limitations. To address frailty, we must recognize when it occurs, increase awareness of its significance, develop holistic models of care, and generate better evidence for its treatment. Recognizing how frailty impacts lifespan will allow for integration of care goals into treatment options. Different settings in the Canadian health care system will require different strategies and tools to assess frailty. Given the magnitude of challenges frailty poses for the health care system as currently organized, policy changes will be essential.

[Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in elderly with cancer: For whom?]

Scientific societies recommend the implementation of a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in cancer patients aged 70 and older. The EGA is an interdisciplinary multidimensional diagnostic process seeking to assess the frail older person in order to develop a coordinated plan of treatment and long-term follow-up. Identification of comorbidities and age-induced physiological changes that may increase the risk of anticancer treatment toxicities is essential to better assess the risk-benefit ratio in elderly cancer patients. The systematic implementation of a CGA for each patient is difficult to perform in daily practice. Therefore, it is recommended to screen vulnerable patients who will benefit from a complete CGA. Our work presents the vulnerability screening tools validated by at least two independent studies in a cancer elderly population setting. Among seven screening tools, the G8 and the VES13 are the most effective, and have been validated specifically in older population with cancer. The G8 is recommended by scientific societies and the French National Cancer Institute (INCa) because of its easy implementation in daily clinical practice, its high sensitivity and fair specificity. Although studies are underway to improve its performance, the G8 is currently the simplest tool to routinely identify older cancer patients who should have a complete assessment in geriatric oncology.

Psychometric properties of multicomponent tools designed to assess frailty in older adults: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Frailty is widely recognised as a distinct multifactorial clinical syndrome that implies vulnerability. The links between frailty and adverse outcomes such as death and institutionalisation have been widely evidenced. There is currently no gold standard frailty assessment tool; optimizing the assessment of frailty in older people therefore remains a research priority. The objective of this systematic review is to identify existing multi-component frailty assessment tools that were specifically developed to assess frailty in adults aged ≥60 years old and to systematically and critically evaluate the reliability and validity of these tools.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was conducted using the standardised COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist to assess the methodological quality of included studies.

RESULTS

Five thousand sixty-three studies were identified in total: 73 of which were included for review. 38 multi-component frailty assessment tools were identified: Reliability and validity data were available for 21 % (8/38) of tools. Only 5 % (2/38) of the frailty assessment tools had evidence of reliability and validity that was within statistically significant parameters and of fair-excellent methodological quality (the Frailty Index-Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment [FI-CGA] and the Tilburg Frailty Indicator [TFI]).

CONCLUSIONS

The TFI has the most robust evidence of reliability and validity and has been the most extensively examined in terms of psychometric properties. However, there is insufficient evidence at present to determine the best tool for use in research and clinical practice. Further in-depth evaluation of the psychometric properties of these tools is required before they can fulfil the criteria for a gold standard assessment tool.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment in patients with gastric and gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma undergoing gastrectomy

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to identify clinical and geriatric assessment variables associated with outcome in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma who have undergone gastrectomy.

METHODS

We reviewed demographic, clinical, and geriatric assessment variables, including recent falls, pain, performance status, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, assistive device use, comorbidity, polypharmacy, and weight change, for patients undergoing gastrectomy between 2005 and 2014. Outcome variables included morbidity, mortality, hospital length of stay, and readmission.

RESULTS

Of 279 patients, 133 (48%) underwent total gastrectomy. The 90-day major morbidity rate was 24% and the mortality rate was 1%. Length of hospital stay ≥ 14 days occurred in 38%, with readmission within 30 days in 13%. On multivariate analysis, gastroesophageal junction involvement, (odds ratio [OR] 2.5, 95% confidence interval [1.1-5.8]), additional organ resection, (OR 3.2, [1.6-6.3]), pain score >0 (OR 3.8, [1.6-8.7]), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status >0, (OR 2.3, [1.2-4.6]), and polypharmacy (OR 2.4, [1.1-5.2]) were associated with major morbidity. Hospital stay ≥ 14 days was associated with age ≥ 75 years (OR 3.9, [1.7-9.2]), total gastrectomy (OR 3.5, [2.0-6.3]), performance status >0 (OR 1.8, [1.0-3.2]), and preoperative chemotherapy (OR 0.3, [0.2-0.7]).

CONCLUSIONS

Future studies are needed to identify methods to improve performance status, as this may improve postoperative complications and resource utilization.

Six screening instruments for frailty in older patients qualified for emergency abdominal surgery

INTRODUCTION

The literature on geriatric assessment in emergency admitted patients is scarce, particularly there are no studies regarding the efficacy of frailty screening tests among patients qualified for emergency abdominal surgery. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of six screening instruments in this group of patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The diagnostic accuracy of the Vulnerable Elderly Survey (VES-13), Triage Risk Screening Tool (TRST), Geriatric-8 (G8), Groningen Frailty Index (GFI), Rockwood, Balducci score was evaluated in a prospective group of 184 consecutive patients ≥65 years of age. Outcome measure was sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of these tests in prediciting 30-day postoperative outcome.

RESULTS

Patients mean age was 76.9±5.8 (65-100) years. The prevalence of frailty, as diagnosed by screening methods, was: 50-79.9% (Balducci/Rockwood-G8). Multivariate analyses have identified all screening tests apart from Rockwood and TRST as independent factors that predict postoperative outcome. The sensitivity and negative predictive value in case of postoperative mortality were 60-91% (Rockwood-VES-13) and 30-93% (GFI-VES13). In case of postoperative morbidity they were 52-85% (Rockwood-VES-13 and G8) and 44-70% (Rockwood-VES-13), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Considering these results, it is possible to perform safely and efficiently screening test for frailty in older patients qualified for emergency abdominal surgery. The VES-13 was the best screening instrument; it had the highest sensitivity and negative predictive value both for the postoperative mortality and morbidity. This instrument may offer physicians additional information that can be used in the postoperative optimisation of the treatment of these high-risk group of patients.