Biological ageing and frailty markers in breast cancer patients

Blood-based biomarkers of frailty in older patients with cancer

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review aims to evaluate the current evidence on blood-based biomarkers for frailty detection in older cancer patients. It explores the potential of various biomarkers, including inflammatory markers and microRNAs (miRNAs), to serve as indicators of frailty and examines the limitations of existing studies. The review also highlights the need for further research to validate these biomarkers and improve their clinical applicability.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent studies have examined blood biomarkers associated with frailty in older cancer patients. Findings suggest that elevated granulocyte levels and lower macrophage-derived stem cells and regulatory T cells are linked to frailty. Inflammatory biomarkers such as interleukin-6 and specific miRNAs, as well as higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios, have also been identified as potential indicators of frailty. While these biomarkers show promise, no single marker has proven sufficient, and combining them may improve frailty detection. Further research is needed to validate their clinical usefulness in this population.

SUMMARY

Blood-based biomarkers show potential for detecting frailty in older patients with cancer, but further research is needed, particularly beyond an inflammatory focus and with more robust study designs.

The effect of BMI on survival outcome of breast cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The main goal of the present research is to explore the potential link of body mass index (BMI) with different survival metrics in breast cancer patients. Our aim is to offer the latest and most thorough meta-analysis, assessing the strength and reliability of the connection that BMI has with prognostic indicators in this disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

As of January 2024, we conducted a systematic literature search across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases. Our search aimed to identify studies examining BMI as an exposure factor, with breast cancer patients constituting the study population, and utilizing adjusted hazard ratio (HR) as the data type of interest.

RESULTS

The evidence synthesis incorporated a total of 61 eligible articles involving 201,006 patients. Being underweight posed a risk factor for overall survival (OS) in breast cancer patients compared to normal weight (HR 1.15, 95% CI 0.98-1.35; P = 0.08). Overweight or obesity, in comparison to normal weight, was a risk factor for OS (HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.14-1.23; P < 0.00001), disease-free survival (DFS) (HR 1.11, 95% CI 1.08-1.13; P < 0.00001), relapse-free survival (RFS) (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.06-1.22; P = 0.03), and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) (HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.11-1.26; P < 0.00001), but not for progression-free survival (PFS) (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.76-1.10; P = 0.33). Notably, in subgroup analyses, overweight patients achieved prolonged PFS (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.64-0.99; P = 0.04), and compared to the obese population, the overweight cohort exhibited a significant difference in OS (HR 1.11, 95% CI 1.05-1.16; P < 0.00001) and DFS (HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03-1.10; P = 0.0004), with a considerably stronger association. Furthermore, compared to HER- patients, HER + patients exhibited a greater predictive value for OS (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.10-1.37; P = 0.0004), RFS (HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.03-1.64; P < 0.00001), and DFS (HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.03-1.17; P = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our meta-analysis reveal a notable association between BMI and various survival measures in breast cancer prognosis. These findings provide a solid basis for predicting breast cancer outcomes and implementing more effective therapeutic approaches.

Development and validation of a prediction model for frailty in breast cancer patients with extended survival

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer (BC) patients with extended survival show a higher incidence of frailty. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel model combining sociodemographic factors (SF) and disease-related factors (DRF) to identify frailty in BC patients with extended survival.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study examined data from 1167 patients admitted to a large urban academic medical centre. Three types of predictive models were constructed in the training set (817 patients): the SF model, the DRF model, and the SF + DRF model (combined model). The model performance and effectiveness were assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration plots and decision curves analysis (DCA). Then the model was subsequently validated on the validation set.

RESULTS

The incidence of frailty in BC patients with extended survival was 35.8%. We identified six independent risk factors including age, health status, chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, number of comorbidities and oral medications. Ultimately, we constructed an optimal model (combined model C) for frailty. The predictive model showed significantly high discriminative accuracy in the training set AUC: 0.754, (95% CI, 0.719-0.789; sensitivity: 76.8%, specificity: 62.2%) and validation set AUC: 0.805, (95% CI, 0.76-0.85), sensitivity: 60.8%, specificity: 87.1%) respectively. A prediction nomogram was constructed for the training and validation sets. Calibration and DCA were performed, which indicated that the clinical model presented satisfactory calibration and clinical utility. Ultimately, we implemented the prediction model into a mobile-friendly web application that provides an accurate and individualized prediction for BC.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study demonstrated that the prevalence of frailty in BC patients with extended survival was 35.8%. We developed a novel model for screening frailty, which may provide evidence for frailty screening and prevention.

Plasma-derived extracellular vesicle surface markers CD45, CD326 and CD56 correlate with the stage of osteoarthritis: a primary study of a novel and promising diagnostic tool of the disease

Recently, there is a growing interest in the research based on extracellular vesicles (EVs) which represent paracrine factors secreted by almost all cell types. Both, normal and pathological cells are able to release various types of EVs with different physiological properties, functions and compositions. EVs play an important role in intercellular communication, mechanism and tissue repair. Moreover, EVs could help not only in the treatment of diseases but also in their diagnostics. This work focused on the evaluation of the potential of EVs being used as biomarkers for the diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA) based on a comparison of the composition of EVs separated from platelet-poor plasma (PPP) of healthy donors and OA patients at different stages of OA. OA is established as a complex syndrome with extensive impact on multiple tissues within the synovial joint. It is a chronic disease of musculoskeletal system that mainly affects the elderly. Depending on the use of the Kellgren-Lawrence classification system, there are four grades of OA which have a negative impact on patients' quality of life. It is very difficult to detect OA in its early stages, so it is necessary to find a new diagnostic method for its timely detection. PPP samples were prepared from whole blood. PPP-EVs were separated from 3 groups of donors-healthy control, early stage OA, end-stage OA, and their content was compared and correlated. EVs from PPP were separated by size exclusion chromatography and characterized in terms of their size, yield and purity by NTA, western blotting, ELISA and flow cytometry. Detection of surface markers expression in EVs was performed using MACSPlex approach. Inflammatory and growth factors in EVs were analysed using MAGPix technology. Our study confirmed significant differences between EVs surface markers of patients and healthy controls correlating with the age of donor (CD63, CD31 and ROR1) and stage of OA (CD45, CD326 and CD56), respectively. Circulating EVs have been under extensive investigation for their capability to predict OA pathology diagnosis as potential targets for biomarker discovery. Taken together, obtained results indicated that PPP-EVs surface markers could be used as potential biomarkers in the early diagnosis of OA.

Prognostic Tools for Older Women with Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, and older patients comprise an increasing proportion of patients with this disease. The older breast cancer population is heterogenous with unique factors affecting clinical decision making. While many models have been developed and tested for breast cancer patients of all ages, tools specifically developed for older patients with breast cancer have not been recently reviewed. We systematically reviewed prognostic models developed and/or validated for older patients with breast cancer. Methods: We conducted a systematic search in 3 electronic databases. We identified original studies that were published prior to 8 November 2022 and presented the development and/or validation of models based mainly on clinico-pathological factors to predict response to treatment, recurrence, and/or mortality in older patients with breast cancer. The PROBAST was used to assess the ROB and applicability of each included tool. Results: We screened titles and abstracts of 7316 records. This generated 126 studies for a full text review. We identified 17 eligible articles, all of which presented tool development. The models were developed between 1996 and 2022, mostly using national registry data. The prognostic models were mainly developed in the United States (n = 7; 41%). For the derivation cohorts, the median sample size was 213 (interquartile range, 81-845). For the 17 included modes, the median number of predictive factors was 7 (4.5-10). Conclusions: There have been several studies focused on developing prognostic tools specifically for older patients with breast cancer, and the predictions made by these tools vary widely to include response to treatment, recurrence, and mortality. While external validation was rare, we found that it was typically concordant with interval validation results. Studies that were not validated or only internally validated still require external validation. However, most of the models presented in this review represent promising tools for clinical application in the care of older patients with breast cancer.

Psychological measures of stress and biomarkers of inflammation, aging, and endothelial dysfunction in breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitors

The use of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) is associated with higher rates of cardiovascular events and lower endothelial function in breast cancer survivors. Psychosocial stress is associated with higher levels of inflammatory and aging markers, and lower endothelial function in otherwise healthy subjects. These associations among breast cancer survivors on AIs are not well defined. A cross-sectional study of 30 breast cancer survivors on AIs was performed to assess the associations between self-reported scores of psychosocial measures of depression, anxiety, and stress assessed by validated questionnaires with markers of inflammation (CRP; IL-6; IL-18), aging (p16^INK4a), and endothelial function (ICAM-1, EndoPAT ratio). Significant positive correlations were observed between psychosocial measures and inflammatory markers including CRP, IL-6, and ICAM-1. However, no psychosocial scores were related to endothelial function or gene expression of the aging biomarker p16INK4a. Overall, survivors had endothelial dysfunction with reduced EndoPAT ratios. Psychosocial stress is associated with greater inflammation in breast cancer survivors on AIs, corroborating previous studies in cancer-free populations. The lack of association between psychosocial stress and either endothelial function or aging biomarkers could be due to the already low endothelial function and accelerated aging in our cohort of breast cancer survivors on AIs, though our small sample size limits conclusions. Further work in a larger and more diverse cohort of patients is needed to further understand the relationships among inflammation, aging and endothelial function in breast cancer survivors.

Blood-based biomarkers of frailty in solid tumors: a systematic review

This review examines the current literature to identify biomarkers of frailty across patients with solid tumors. We conducted the systematic review using preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis guidelines (PRISMA). PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases were searched from their inception to December 08, 2021, for reports of biomarkers and frailty. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full-text articles. A quality assessment was conducted using NHLBI Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies, and Quality Assessment of Case-Control Studies. In total, 915 reports were screened, and 14 full-text articles were included in the review. Most studies included breast tumors, were cross-sectional in design, and measured biomarkers at baseline or pre-treatment. Frailty tools varied with Fried Frailty Phenotype and the geriatric assessment most frequently used. Increased inflammatory parameters (i.e., Interleukin-6, Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio, Glasgow Prognostic Score-2) were associated with frailty severity. Only six studies were rated as good quality using assessment ratings. Together, the small number of studies and heterogeneity in frailty assessment limited our ability to draw conclusions from the extant literature. Future research is needed to identify potential target biomarkers of frailty in cancer survivors that may aid in early detection and referral.

Frailty biomarkers under the perspective of geroscience: A narrative review

Cellular and molecular aging biomarkers might contribute to identify at-risk individuals for frailty before overt clinical manifestations appear. Although studies on the associations of aging biomarkers and frailty exist, no investigation has gathered this information using a structured framework for identifying aging biomarkers; as a result, the evidence on frailty and aging biomarkers is diffuse and incomplete. Therefore, this narrative review aimed to gather information on the associations of the hallmarks of aging and frailty under the perspective of geroscience. The literature on human studies on this topic is sparse and mainly composed of cross-sectional investigations performed in small study samples. The main putative aging biomarkers associated to frailty were: mitochondrial DNA copy number (genomic instability and mitochondrial dysfunction), telomere length (telomere attrition), global DNA methylation (epigenetic alterations), Hsp70 and Hsp72 (loss of proteostasis), IGF-1 and SIRT1 (deregulated nutrient-sensing), GDF-15 (mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence and altered intercellular communication), CD4 + and CD8 + cell percentages (cellular senescence), circulating osteogenic progenitor (COP) cells (stem cell exhaustion), and IL-6, CRP and TNF-alpha (altered intercellular communication). IGF-1, SIRT1, GDF-15, IL-6, CRP and TNF-alpha presented more evidence among these biomarkers, highlighting the importance of inflammation and nutrient sensing on frailty. Further longitudinal studies investigating biomarkers across the hallmarks of aging would provide valuable information on this topic.

The Role of Blood-Derived Factors in Protection and Regeneration of Aged Tissues

Tissue regeneration substantially relies on the functionality of tissue-resident endogenous adult stem cell populations. However, during aging, a progressive decline in organ function and regenerative capacities impedes endogenous repair processes. Especially the adult human heart is considered as an organ with generally low regenerative capacities. Interestingly, beneficial effects of systemic factors carried by young blood have been described in diverse organs including the heart, brain and skeletal muscle of the murine system. Thus, the interest in young blood or blood components as potential therapeutic agents to target age-associated malignancies led to a wide range of preclinical and clinical research. However, the translation of promising results from the murine to the human system remains difficult. Likewise, the establishment of adequate cellular models could help to study the effects of human blood plasma on the regeneration of human tissues and particularly the heart. Facing this challenge, this review describes the current knowledge of blood plasma-mediated protection and regeneration of aging tissues. The current status of preclinical and clinical research examining blood borne factors that act in stem cell-based tissue maintenance and regeneration is summarized. Further, examples of cellular model systems for a more detailed examination of selected regulatory pathways are presented.

Biomarkers shared by frailty and sarcopenia in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Physical frailty and sarcopenia show extensive clinical similarities. Whether biomarkers exist that are shared by the two conditions is presently unclear.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies that investigated the association of frailty and/or sarcopenia with biomarkers as a primary or secondary outcome in adults aged 60 years and older. Only studies published in English that defined frailty using a validated scale and/or questionnaire and diagnosed sarcopenia according to the presence of muscle atrophy plus dynapenia or low physical function were included. Studies were identified from a systematic search of MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases from inception through August 2020. The quality of reporting of each study was assessed by using the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort, Cross-Sectional and Case-Control studies of the National Institute of Health. A meta-analysis was conducted when at least three studies investigated the same biomarker in both frailty and sarcopenia. Pooled effect size was calculated based on standard mean differences and random-effect models. Sensitivity analysis was performed based on age and the setting where the study was conducted.

RESULTS

Eighty studies (58 on frailty and 22 on sarcopenia) met the inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative analysis. Studies on frailty included 33,160 community-dwellers, hospitalized, or institutionalized older adults (60-88 years) from 21 countries. Studies on sarcopenia involved 4904 community-living and institutionalized older adults (68-87.6 years) from 9 countries. Several metabolic, inflammatory, and hematologic markers were found to be shared between the two conditions. Albumin and hemoglobin were negatively associated with both frailty and sarcopenia. Interleukin 6 was associated with frailty and sarcopenia only in people aged < 75. Community-dwelling older adults with frailty and sarcopenia had higher levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha compared with their robust and non-sarcopenic counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

A set of metabolic, hematologic, and inflammatory biomarkers was found to be shared by frailty and sarcopenia. These findings fill a knowledge gap in the quest of biomarkers for these conditions and provide a rationale for biomarker selection in studies on frailty and sarcopenia.

Pre-treatment neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio as a biomarker of frailty and predictor of survival among older adults with multiple myeloma

INTRODUCTION

Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) combines a marker of inflammation and reduced cell turnover to reflect age related alterations in the immune system. Whether NLR can serve as a biomarker of frailty and predict survival among older adults with Multiple Myeloma (MM) is unknown.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used an electronic health record-derived database to identify older adults (age ≥ 60y) with incident MM diagnosed between 1/2011 and 2/2020, with known pre-treatment absolute neutrophil and lymphocyte count up to 90 days before the start of therapy. The calculated NLR values were stratified into quartiles (Q1-Q4). We constructed a previously validated, simplified frailty index combining age, comorbidity and ECOG performance status. We measured the association between NLR quartiles and this frailty index using a logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex and race/ethnicity. We used Kaplan Meier methods and multivariable Cox regression to assess the impact of NLR on overall survival adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS

We identified 1729 older adults with newly diagnosed MM, at a median age of 73y (IQR: 67-78y). The median NLR was 2.13 (IQR: 1.44 to 3.31). Of the 1135 evaluable patients, 55% met criteria for frailty. Multivariable analysis revealed a 2.1-fold higher odds of frailty (95%CI = 1.42-3.10, p < 0.001) for patients in the NLR Q4 group vs. NLR Q1 group. In a multivariable analysis, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, M-protein type, stage, high risk cytogenetics, baseline creatinine, LDH and type of first line therapy, patients in NLR Q4 group had a 1.51 times increased hazards of death (95%CI = 1.15-1.98, p 0.002) when compared to those in NLR Q1 group.

CONCLUSION

NLR, a readily available laboratory biomarker, is associated with frailty measured using a simplified frailty index as well as inferior overall survival among older adults with MM. Future studies should explore its value as a screening tool to identify frail older adults with MM.

Frailty phenotype is associated with antiretroviral exposure among older persons living with HIV

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This multicentre, cross-sectional study was carried out in the South of France to assess the association between frailty phenotype and antiretroviral therapy (ART) in older persons living with HIV (PLWHIV). Sociodemographic and HIV data, geriatric assessment, comorbidities, behavioral and age-related variables and the five frailty markers of Fried were recorded. Exposure to any pharmacological class of ART and all regimens were retrieved from medical records.

RECENT FINDINGS

The 509 PLWHIV analysed (72.7% male) received a mean of 6.01 ART regimens and 12.5 years exposure to ART. The prevalence of at least one frailty marker [frail and prefrail phenotype (FPFP)] was 66.4%. Duration of exposure to protease inhibitors and reverse transcriptase inhibitors, number of ART regimens and comorbidities, dyslipidaemia, cancer, depression, falls, disability and pain were significantly associated with FPFP by univariate analysis. In logistic regression multivariable analysis, independent predictors for FPFP were a large number of ART regimens, presence of cancer and pain. No significant association was found with HIV-related parameters neither with ART class and duration.

SUMMARY

A significant association was found between FPFP and a large number of different ART regimens among older PLWHIV. The burden of cancer and pain in these patients shows the importance of comprehensive care.

Biology of primary breast cancer in older women beyond routine biomarkers

Purpose

There are numerous biomarkers which may have potential predictive and prognostic significance in breast cancer. This is extremely important in older adults, who may opt for less aggressive therapy. This work outlines the literature on biological assessment outside of standard biomarkers (defined as ER, PgR, HER2, Ki67) in women ≥ 65 years with primary operable invasive breast cancer, to determine which additional biomarkers are relevant to outcome in older women.

Methods

Medline and Embase databases were searched. Studies were eligible if included ≥ 50 patients aged ≥ 65 years; stratified results by age; measured a biomarker outside of standard assay and reported patient data.

Results

A total of 12 studies were appraised involving 5000 patients, measuring 28 biomarkers. The studies were extremely varied in methodology and outcome but three themes emerged: 1. Differences in biomarker expression between younger and older women, indicating that breast cancer in older women is generally less aggressive compared to younger women; 2. Relationship of biomarker expression with survival, suggesting biomarkers which may exclusively predict response to primary treatment in older women; 3. Association of biomarker with chemotherapy, suggesting that older patients should not be declined chemotherapy based on age alone.

Conclusion

There is evidence to support further investigation of B-cell lymphoma (BCL2), liver kinase (LK)B1, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), cytoplasmic cyclin-E, mucin (MUC)1 and cytokeratins (CKs) as potential predictive or prognostic markers in older women with breast cancer undergoing surgery. Studies exploring these biomarkers in larger cohorts and in women undergoing non-operative therapies are required.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12282-021-01266-5.

Cancer and Aging: Two Tightly Interconnected Biological Processes

Age is one of the main risk factors of cancer; several biological changes linked with the aging process can explain this. As our population is progressively aging, the proportion of older patients with cancer is increasing significantly. Due to the heterogeneity of general health and functional status amongst older persons, treatment of cancer is a major challenge in this vulnerable population. Older patients often experience more side effects of anticancer treatments. Over-treatment should be avoided to ensure an optimal quality of life. On the other hand, under-treatment due to fear of toxicity is a frequent problem and can lead to an increased risk of relapse and worse survival. There is a delicate balance between benefits of therapy and risk of toxicity. Robust biomarkers that reflect the body's biological age may aid in outlining optimal individual treatment regimens for older patients with cancer. In particular, the impact of age on systemic immunity and the tumor immune infiltrate should be considered, given the expanding role of immunotherapy in cancer treatment. In this review, we summarize current knowledge concerning the mechanistic connections between aging and cancer, as well as aging biomarkers that could be helpful in the field of geriatric oncology.

Age-related remodelling of the blood immunological portrait and the local tumor immune response in patients with luminal breast cancer

Objectives

Aging is associated with altered immune function and chronic low-grade inflammation, referred to as immunosenescence. As breast cancer is an age-related disease, the impact of aging on tumor immune responses may have important consequences. However, effects of immunosenescence on breast tumor immune infiltration remain largely unknown.

Methods

This exploratory study investigated a broad panel of immune/senescence markers in peripheral blood and in the tumor microenvironment of young, middle-aged and old patients diagnosed with early invasive luminal (hormone-sensitive, HER2-negative) breast cancer. In the old group, G8-scores were computed as a correlate for clinical frailty.

Results

Significant age-related changes in plasma levels of several inflammatory mediators (IL-1α, IP-10, IL-8, MCP-1, CRP), immune checkpoint markers (Gal-9, sCD25, TIM-3, PD-L1), IGF-1 and circulating miRs (miR-18a, miR-19b, miR-20, miR-155, miR-195 and miR-326) were observed. Shifts were observed in distinct peripheral blood mononuclear cell populations, particularly naive CD8⁺ T-cells. At the tumor level, aging was associated with lower total lymphocytic infiltration, together with decreased abundance of several immune cell markers, especially CD8. The relative fractions of cell subsets in the immune infiltrate were also altered. Clinical frailty was associated with higher frequencies of exhausted/senescent (CD27^-CD28^- and/or CD57⁺) terminally differentiated CD8⁺ cells in the blood and with increased tumor infiltration by FOXP3⁺ cells.

Conclusion

Aging and frailty are associated with profound changes of the blood and tumor immune profile in luminal breast cancer, pointing to a different interplay between tumor cells, immune cells and inflammatory mediators at higher age.

Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Relationships Between Inflammatory Biomarkers and Frailty in Community-dwelling Older Men: The Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project

BACKGROUND

Previous studies demonstrated associations between IL-6 and frailty, but associations between a wide range of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors with prevalent and incident frailty has not been studied.

METHODS

Community-dwelling men aged more than 75 enrolled in the 5-year and 8-year follow-up of the CHAMP study were assessed. Twenty-seven inflammatory biomarkers were measured using the Bio-Plex Pro Human Cytokine 27-plex Assay kit at 5-year follow-up. Frailty was determined using the Fried frailty phenotype (FP) and Rockwood frailty index (FI) at both time-points. Age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol, and comorbidity were also assessed.

RESULTS

In cross-sectional analysis of the 5-year follow-up, the unadjusted odds ratio (OR) for frail versus robust evaluated by the FP showed significant associations for IL-6 (OR: 1.56, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23-1.98) and IL-8 (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.00-1.63). IL-6 remained significantly associated in the age-adjusted (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.21-2.05) and multivariable-adjusted model (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.16-2.05). No associations were observed between pre-frail versus robust. In longitudinal unadjusted analysis, IL-8 (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.03-1.70) and IP-10 (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.03-1.70) at 5-year predicted incident frailty at 8-year follow-up. IL-8 remained longitudinally associated with incident frailty after age (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.03-1.75) but not multivariable (OR: 1.20, 95% CI: 0.98-1.70) adjustment. Similar results were seen using the FI. None of the other biomarkers had significant associations with incident frailty.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that IL-6 and IL-8 may be cross-sectionally associated with frailty and that all measured inflammatory biomarkers were not causally related to frailty. Together with previous studies, the results suggest that frailty is specifically linked to IL-6 and IL-8 rather than simply representing a nonspecific pan-inflammatory condition.

Analysis of inflammatory markers and hormones in old cancer patients: A descriptive study

Advanced cancers are associated with a chronic inflammation, especially high interleukin-6 (IL-6) and with various levels of adipokines (leptin and adiponectin), while ghrelin counteracts the anorexigenic effect of leptin in cancer-induced anorexia-cachexia syndrome. We aimed to understand how IL-6, adipokines and ghrelin plasma levels could be influenced by cancer on the one hand, and by age, frailty, and nutritional status in old cancer patients on the other hand. Ninety-nine patients aged 79[76-83] years old were included. Sixty-six percent had advanced stages of cancer, and 34% had cachexia. Fifty percent were at risk of malnutrition, and 10% had overt malnutrition. None of the variables studied was significantly correlated with the advanced stage, or cachexia. In multiple regression, the only parameter significantly and positively associated with age was adiponectin (p = 0.008). Despite a high prevalence of frailty in our study, we did not find any independent association of frailty (assessed by G8) with IL-6, leptin, adiponectin, or ghrelin in multivariate analysis. We observed that a low albumin level was independently associated with a higher level of IL-6 (p < 0.0001), but not with the MNA score. However, leptin showed a positive correlation with BMI (p < 0.0001), confirming the persistence of a relationship between leptin and adiposity, even in older cancer patients. Finally, high IL-6 level was associated with a higher mortality rate (p = 0.027). In conclusion, IL-6, leptin, adiponectin, and ghrelin are not associated with advanced stages of cancer or cancer-induced cachexia in older subjects with cancer, but they are significantly correlated with anthropometric factors and body composition.

Interleukin-6 selectively induces drug metabolism to potentiate the genotoxicity of dietary carcinogens in mammary cells

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in females, the etiology being multifactorial and includes the role of lifestyle exposure to DNA-damaging chemicals such as dietary carcinogens benzo (a) pyrene (BaP) and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4, 5-b] pyridine (PhIP). Both compounds require cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated metabolic activation to DNA-damaging species, and both induce transcriptional responses through the nuclear receptors Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and estrogen receptor α (ERα). BaP and PhIP are mammary carcinogens in rodents. Clinically, circulating IL-6 expression is linked with poor prognosis of cancer and 35% of the deaths in breast cancer are linked with inflammation. The objective of this work was to investigate the molecular toxicology and local activation of BaP and PhIP in the presence of IL-6. Our laboratory has previously reported that miR27b can regulate CYP1B1 expression in colorectal cells, here we have investigated if this mechanism is working in mammary cell models, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Treatment (24 h) of cells with BaP (10 nM-10 µM) and PhIP (100 nM-100 µM) significantly induced genetic damage (micronuclei formation) in a dose-dependent manner in both cell lines. This effect was potentiated in the presence of human IL-6 at concentrations reported to be expressed in clinical breast cancer. On its own, IL-6 treatment failed to induce micronuclei frequency above the control levels in these cells. Compared to BaP or PhIP treatment alone, IL-6 plus BaP or PhIP selectively induced CYP1B1 significantly in both cell lines. Additionally, miR27b expression was downregulated by IL-6 treatments and transfection with miR27b inhibitor confirmed that miR27b is a regulator of CYP1B1 in both cell lines. These data show that BaP- and PhIP-induced DNA damage in mammary cells is potentiated by the inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and that inflammation-induced CYP expression, specifically CYP1B1 via miR27b, is responsible for this effect.

Surgery in the Older Patient with Breast Cancer

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Breast cancer incidence and mortality increase with age. Older patients (≥ 70) are often excluded from studies. Due to multiple factors, it is unclear whether this population is best-treated using standard guidelines. Here, we review surgical management in older women with breast cancer.

RECENT FINDINGS

Geriatric assessments can guide treatment recommendations and aid in predicting survival and quality of life. Surgery remains a principal component of breast cancer treatment in older patients, though differences exist compared with younger women, including higher mastectomy rates and evidence-based support of omission of post-lumpectomy radiation or axillary dissection in subsets of patients. In those forgoing surgical management, there is increased use of endocrine therapy. Hospice is also a valuable element of end-of-life care. Physicians should utilize geriatric assessment to make treatment recommendations for older breast cancer patients, including omission of radiation therapy, alterations to standard surgeries, or enrollment in hospice care.

Frailty biomarkers in humans and rodents: Current approaches and future advances

Even though they would have great benefit across research and clinical fields, currently there are no accepted biomarkers of frailty. Cross-sectional studies in humans have identified promising candidates including inflammatory markers such as IL-6, immune markers such as WBC count, clinical markers such as albumin, endocrine markers such as vitamin D, oxidative stress markers such as isoprostanes, proteins such as BDNF and epigenetic markers such as DNA methylation, but there are limitations to the current state of the research. Future approaches to the identification of frailty biomarkers should include longitudinal studies, studies using animal models of frailty, studies incorporating novel biomarkers combined into composite panels, and studies investigating sex differences and potential overlap between markers of biological age and frailty.

Association between leukocyte telomere length and hostility in US army service members

Hostility is a common form of emotionally charged anger which can lead to maladaptive and unhealthy behaviors. Significant association between shortened telomeres and greater levels of hostility has been observed in civilian populations, but has not yet been comprehensively studied in military populations. Our study investigates the relationship between hostility, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in a sample of United States Army Special Operations personnel (n = 474) who deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan as part of combat operations. Hostility was measured with five items from the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). PTSD was determined using the PTSD Checklist (PCL) total score. The LTL was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction methods and regression analyses were conducted to determine the association of hostility and telomere length. PTSD subjects reported higher hostility scores compared with those without PTSD. Among the participants with PTSD, those with medium or high level of hostility had shorter LTL than those with low level hostility (P < 0.01). Stepwise regression indicated that hostility level and age, but not gender and PTSD, were negatively correlated with LTL. Univariate regression showed that total hostility score was negatively associated with LTL (CI= -0.06 to -0.002, Beta= -0.095, p < 0.039) as well as a significant correlation between LTL and hostility impulses (HI) (CI= -0.108 to -0.009, Beta= -0.106, p < 0.021) and hostility controlling (HC) (CI= -0.071 to -0.002, Beta= -0.095, p < 0.004). Multiple regression analyses revealed that, while HC has no significant association with LTL, HI was still negatively correlated with LTL (p = 0.021). Our data indicates that LTL is associated with HI levels. Prevention and treatment efforts designed to reduce hostility may help mitigate risk for LTL shortening, a process of cellular aging, and thus slow accelerated aged-related health outcomes.

Age-related microRNAs in older breast cancer patients: biomarker potential and evolution during adjuvant chemotherapy

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of cellular function and have been associated with both aging and cancer, but the impact of chemotherapy on age-related miRNAs has barely been studied.

Our aim was to examine whether chemotherapy accelerates the aging process in elderly breast cancer patients using miRNA expression profiling.

Methods

We monitored age-related miRNAs in blood of women, aged 70 or older, receiving adjuvant chemotherapy (docetaxel and cyclophosphamide, TC) for invasive breast cancer (chemo group, CTG, n = 46). A control group of older breast cancer patients without chemotherapy was included for comparison (control group, CG, n = 43). All patients underwent geriatric assessment at inclusion (T0), after 3 months (T1) and 1 year (T2). Moreover, we analysed the serum expression of nine age-related miRNAs (miR-20a, miR-30b, miR-34a, miR-106b, miR-191, miR-301a, miR-320b, miR-374a, miR-378a) at each timepoint.

Results

Except for miR-106b, which behaved slightly different in CTG compared to CG, all miRNAs showed moderate fluctuations during the study course with no significant differences between groups. Several age-related miRNAs correlated with clinical frailty (miR-106b, miR-191, miR-301a, miR-320b, miR-374a), as well as with other biomarkers of aging, particularly Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1) (miR-106b, miR-301a, miR-374a-5p, miR-378a-3p). Moreover, based on their ‘aging miRNA’ profiles, patients clustered into two distinct groups exhibiting significantly different results for several biological/clinical aging parameters.

Conclusions

These results further corroborate our earlier report, stating that adjuvant TC chemotherapy does not significantly boost aging progression in elderly breast cancer patients. Our findings also endorsed specific age-related miRNAs as promising aging/frailty biomarkers in oncogeriatric populations.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00849758. Registered on 20 February 2009. This clinical trial was registered prospectively.

Biological Processes and Biomarkers Related to Frailty in Older Adults: A State-of-the-Science Literature Review

The objectives of this literature review were to (1) synthesize biological processes linked to frailty and their corresponding biomarkers and (2) identify potential associations among these processes and biomarkers. In September 2016, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched. Studies examining biological processes related to frailty in older adults (≥60 years) were included. Studies were excluded if they did not employ specific measures of frailty, did not report the association between biomarkers and frailty, or focused on nonelderly samples (average age < 60). Review articles, commentaries, editorials, and non-English articles were also excluded. Fifty-two articles were reviewed, reporting six biological processes related to frailty and multiple associated biomarkers. The processes (biomarkers) include brain changes (neurotrophic factor, gray matter volume), endocrine dysregulation (growth hormones [insulin-like growth factor-1 and binding proteins], hormones related to glucose and insulin, the vitamin D axis, thyroid function, reproductive axis, and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis), enhanced inflammation (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6), immune dysfunction (neutrophils, monocytes, neopterin, CD8+CD28−T cells, albumin), metabolic imbalance (micronutrients, metabolites, enzyme-activity indices, metabolic end products), and oxidative stress (antioxidants, telomere length, glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratio). Bidirectional interrelationships exist within and between these processes. Biomarkers were associated with frailty in varied strengths, and the causality remains unclear. In conclusion, frailty is related to multisystem physiological changes. Future research should examine the dynamic interactions among these processes to inform causality of frailty. Given the multifactorial nature of frailty, a composite index of multisystem biomarkers would likely be more informative than single biomarkers in early detection of frailty.

Low levels of intra-tumoural T cells in breast cancer identify clinically frail patients with shorter disease-specific survival

OBJECTIVES

The global health status of older patients with cancer influences their clinical course, but little is known regarding the influence of the immune system on the global health of older patients with cancer. The goal of this study was to assess the relationships between patient fitness/frailty status and survival, and the local tumour immune environment of older patients with breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In a cohort of 58 older patients with breast cancer (over 70 years of age), fluorescence microscopy was used to investigate whether levels of intra-tumoural T cells (CD3+) and granulocytic cells (CD15+) could predict clinical outcome, and/or whether they correlated with patient physical and mental performance as evaluated by comprehensive geriatric assessment.

RESULTS

We observed that patients with higher levels of intra-tumoural T cells were fitter according to a number of clinical health measures including G8 (p = 0.006), Karnofsky Index (p = 0.0372), and Leuven Oncology Frailty Score (LOFS) (p = 0.0187). In contrast, high relative levels of granulocytic cells were found in patients with poorer clinical health (LOFS, p = 0.0474). Furthermore, high levels of T cells but not granulocytic cells were associated with longer breast cancer-specific survival (p = 0.0444).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to show that low relative levels of intra-tumoural T cells are associated with inferior patient fitness. In contrast to T cells, we observed that intra-tumoural granulocytic cells displayed an inverse relationship with patient performance. Further research is needed to determine whether boosting the level of intra-tumoural T cells in older non-fit patients can result in improved outcome.

Circulating levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 as a potential measure of biological age in mice and frailty in humans

A serum biomarker of biological versus chronological age would have significant impact on clinical care. It could be used to identify individuals at risk of early-onset frailty or the multimorbidities associated with old age. It may also serve as a surrogate endpoint in clinical trials targeting mechanisms of aging. Here, we identified MCP-1/CCL2, a chemokine responsible for recruiting monocytes, as a potential biomarker of biological age. Circulating monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels increased in an age-dependent manner in wild-type (WT) mice. That age-dependent increase was accelerated in Ercc1-/Δ and Bubr1H/H mouse models of progeria. Genetic and pharmacologic interventions that slow aging of Ercc1-/Δ and WT mice lowered serum MCP-1 levels significantly. Finally, in elderly humans with aortic stenosis, MCP-1 levels were significantly higher in frail individuals compared to nonfrail. These data support the conclusion that MCP-1 can be used as a measure of mammalian biological age that is responsive to interventions that extend healthy aging.

Searching for Clinically Relevant Biomarkers in Geriatric Oncology

Ageing, which is associated with a progressive decline and functional deterioration in multiple organ systems, is highly heterogeneous, both inter- and intraindividually. For this, tailored-made theranostics and optimum patient stratification become fundamental, when decision-making in elderly patients is considered. In particular, when cancer incidence and cancer-related mortality and morbidity are taken into account, elderly patient care is a public health concern. In this review, we focus on oncogeriatrics and highlight current opportunities and challenges with an emphasis on the unmet need of clinically relevant biomarkers in elderly cancer patients. We performed a literature search on PubMed and Scopus databases for articles published in English between 2000 and 2017 coupled to text mining and analysis. Considering the top insights, we derived from our literature analysis that information knowledge needs to turn into knowledge growth in oncogeriatrics towards clinically relevant biomarkers, cost-effective practices, updated educational schemes for health professionals (in particular, geriatricians and oncologists), and awareness of ethical issues. We conclude with an interdisciplinary call to omics, geriatricians, oncologists, informatics, and policy-makers communities that Big Data should be translated into decision-making in the clinic.

The impact of adjuvant chemotherapy in older breast cancer patients on clinical and biological aging parameters

Purpose

This prospective observational study aimed to evaluate the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy on biological and clinical markers of aging and frailty.

Methods

Women ≥ 70 years old with early breast cancer were enrolled after surgery and assigned to a chemotherapy (Docetaxel and Cyclophosphamide) group (CTG, n=57) or control group (CG, n=52) depending on their planned adjuvant treatment. Full geriatric assessment (GA) and Quality of Life (QoL) were evaluated at inclusion (T0), after 3 months (T1) and at 1 year (T2). Blood samples were collected to measure leukocyte telomere length (LTL), levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and other circulating markers potentially informative for aging and frailty: Interleukin-10 (IL-10), Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α), Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1), Monocyte Chemotactic Protein 1 (MCP-1) and Regulated on Activation, Normal T cell Expressed and Secreted (RANTES).

Results

LTL decreased significantly but comparably in both groups, whereas IL-6 was unchanged at T2. However, IL-10, TNF-α, IGF-1 and MCP-1 suggested a minor biological aging effect of chemotherapy. Clinical frailty and QoL decreased at T1 in the CTG, but recovered at T2, while remaining stable in the CG.

Conclusion

Chemotherapy (TC) is unlikely to amplify clinical aging or induce frailty at 1 year. Accordingly, there is no impact on the most established aging biomarkers (LTL, IL-6).

Frailty and inflammatory markers in older adults with cancer

We examined the associations between frailty and inflammatory markers, in particular neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR), in elderly cancer patients. We conducted cross-sectional analyses of data derived from the Carolina Seniors Registry (CSR), a database of geriatric assessments (GA) in older adults (≧65 years) with cancer. We included patients in the CSR who had a GA and complete blood count test before initiation of therapy. The primary outcome was frailty, determined using the 36-item Carolina Frailty Index (CFI). In our sample of 133 patients, the median age was 74, and 54% were robust, 22% were pre-frail, and 24% were frail. There was a significant positive correlation between CFI and NLR (r = 0.22, p = 0.025). In multivariable analysis, patients in the top tertile of NLR had an odds ratio of 3.8 (95% CI = 1.1-12.8) for frail/pre-frail status, adjusting for age, sex, race, education level, marital status, cancer type and stage. In bivariable analyses, higher NLR was associated with lower instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) score (p = 0.040) and prolonged timed up and go (p = 0.016). This study suggests an association between frailty and inflammation in older adults with cancer.

How does cytomegalovirus factor into diseases of aging and vaccine responses, and by what mechanisms?

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an important pathogen for both clinical and population settings. There is a growing body of research implicating CMV in multiple health outcomes across the life course. At the same time, there is mounting evidence that individuals living in poverty are more likely to be exposed to CMV and more likely to experience many of the chronic conditions for which CMV has been implicated. Further research on the causal role of CMV for health and well-being is needed. However, the strong evidence implicating CMV in type 2 diabetes, autoimmunity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, vaccination, and age-related alterations in immune function warrants clinical and public health action. This imperative is even higher among individuals living in socioeconomically disadvantaged settings and those exposed to high levels of chronic psychosocial stress.

Low alanine transaminase is not associated with increased rate of mortality in patients with advanced lung cancer

Background: Low alanine transaminase (ALT) has been shown to serve as a marker for sarcopenia and frailty in both healthy populations and in patients with chronic illness. Its yield in cancer patients in general and in particular in lung-cancer patients was not assessed. Methods: Lung cancer patients presenting to an outpatient thoracic oncology clinic in a tertiary hospital were included. ALT plasma levels as well as other potential prognostic factors were collected retrospectively. Associations of those factors with survival were examined by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: 203 patients were eligible for analysis, of which 149 (73.4%) were diagnosed to have advanced disease. During median follow-up period of 15.4 months, 79 (38.9%) died. The mean ALT level of activity was 17.53±7.8 IU/L. The following parameters were found to be associated with increased risk of mortality: histologic type, male gender, advanced disease and low performance status upon diagnosis. Low ALT levels were not found to be associated with increased risk of mortality. Conclusion: Low ALT activity levels, associated with sarcopenia, frailty and shortened survival in other patients' populations might not be predictive for shortened survival in lung cancer patients.  

A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR[BC]) on Levels of Inflammatory Biomarkers Among Recovering Breast Cancer Survivors

PURPOSE

The purpose of this substudy of a large randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the efficacy of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (Breast Cancer) (MBSR[BC]) program compared to usual care (UC) in normalizing blood levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines among breast cancer survivors (BCS).

METHOD

A total of 322 BCS were randomized to either a 6-week MBSR(BC) program or a UC. At baseline and 6 and 12 weeks, 10 ml of venous blood and demographic and clinical data were collected and/or updated. Plasma cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor [TNF] α, transforming growth factor [TGF] β1, soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor [sTNFR] 1) were assayed. Linear mixed models were used to assess cytokine levels across three time points (baseline and 6 and 12 weeks) by group (MBSR[BC] vs. UC).

RESULTS

Of the six measured cytokines, three were nondetectable at rates greater than 50% (IL-10, IL-1β, TGF-β1) and, because of overall low prevalence, were not analyzed further. For the remaining cytokines (TNFα, IL-6, sTNFR1), results showed that TNFα and IL-6 increased during the follow-up period (between 6 and 12 weeks) rather than during the MBSR(BC) training period (between baseline and 6 weeks), while sTNFR1 levels did not change significantly across the 12-week period.

CONCLUSIONS

Study results suggest that MBSR(BC) affects cytokine levels in BCS, mainly with increases in TNFα and IL-6. The data further suggest that B-cell modulation may be a part of immune recovery during breast cancer management and that increases in TNFα and IL-6 may be markers for MBSR(BC)-related recovery.

Impact of chemotherapy on medium-term physical function and activity of older breast cancer survivors, and associated biomarkers

OBJECTIVE

Chemotherapy is less often prescribed in older individuals due to concerns about post-treatment morbidity and quality of life. We evaluated the physical performance of breast cancer survivors treated with and without adjuvant chemotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a case-control study in 56 estrogen receptor positive breast cancer survivors (BCS) on adjuvant aromatase inhibitors 1-2years after definitive surgery. Cases had received adjuvant chemotherapy (n=27; age 70.5±3.6years) versus age-matched controls who had not (n=29; age 70.0±4.3years). Measures of grip strength, physical activity and performance, walking speed, fatigue, and self-reported physical function were collected. Biological correlates of inflammation, frailty and markers of DNA and RNA oxidation were compared.

RESULTS

Grip strength (controls: 21±7.4 vs.

CASES

29.7±5.0kg, p=0.20), physical activity (5403±3204 vs. 6801±9320steps/day, p=0.45), physical performance (short physical performance battery score: 10.1±1.8 vs. 10.4±1.1, p=0.52) and long-distance walking speed (1.2±0.21 vs. 1.3±0.41m/s, p=0.17) were similar between the two groups. Self-reported physical function was marginally lower in cases than controls (controls: 72±24 vs.

CASES

57±34AU, p=0.07). Fatigue disruptiveness was not different between groups (controls: 11.1±13.0 vs.

CASES

15.7±16.2AU, p=0.24). Similarly, the inflammation, oxidation, and frailty markers did not present a significant difference between groups, except for vitamin D levels (p=0.04).

CONCLUSION

Older women who received chemotherapy reported having slightly lower physical function, but a similar physical performance compared to women who did not. These data suggest that older BCS treated with chemotherapy recover to an extent similar to survivors who only received hormonal therapy.

Inflammation and frailty in the elderly: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The pathogenesis of frailty and the role of inflammation is poorly understood. We examined the evidence considering the relationship between inflammation and frailty through a systematic review and meta-analysis. A systematic literature search of papers providing data on inflammatory biomarkers and frailty was carried out in major electronic databases from inception until May 2016. From 1856 initial hits, 35 studies (32 cross-sectional studies n=3232 frail, n=11,483 pre-frail and n=8522 robust, and 563 pre-frail+robust; 3 longitudinal studies n=3402 participants without frailty at baseline) were meta-analyzed. Cross-sectional studies reported that compared to 6757 robust participants, both 1698 frail (SMD=1.00, 95%CI: 0.40-1.61) and 8568 pre-frail (SMD=0.33, 95%CI: 0.04-0.62) participants had significantly higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). Frailty (n=1057; SMD=1.12, 95%CI: 0.27-2.13) and pre-frailty (n=4467; SMD=0.56, 95%CI: 0.00-1.11) were associated with higher serum levels of interleukin-6 compared to people who were robust (n=2392). Frailty and pre-frailty were also significantly associated with elevated white blood cell and fibrinogen levels. In three longitudinal studies, higher serum CRP (OR=1.06, 95%CI: 0.78-1.44,) and IL-6 (OR=1.19, 95%CI: 0.87-1.62) were not associated with frailty. In conclusion, frailty and pre-frailty are associated with higher inflammatory parameters and in particular CRP and IL-6. Further longitudinal studies are needed.

Telomere Length and Breast Cancer Prognosis: A Systematic Review

Telomeres ensure genome integrity during replication. Loss of telomeric function leads to cell immortalization and accumulation of genetic alterations. The association of telomere length (TL) with breast cancer prognosis is examined through a systematic review. Electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL), from inception to December 2015, and relevant reviews were searched. Studies that evaluated TL (blood and/or tumor) in association with breast cancer survival or prognostic factor were included. Thirty-six studies met inclusion criteria. Overall risk of bias was critical. Eight studies reported survival outcomes. Overall, there was a trend toward an association of longer telomeres with better outcomes (tumor, not blood). Of the 33 studies reporting associations with prognostic factors, nine adjusted for potential confounders. Among the latter, shorter telomeres were associated with older age (blood, not tumor), higher local recurrence rates (normal tissue), higher tumor grade (tumor), and lower physical activity (blood), which were reported in one study each. TL was not associated with molecular subtype (blood, one study), family history (tumor, one study), chemotherapy (blood, three of four studies), and stress reduction interventions (blood, two of two studies). Although major methodologic differences preclude from drawing conclusive results, TL could be a valuable breast cancer prognostic marker. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(1); 3-10. ©2016 AACR.

Prehabilitation in our most frail surgical patients: are wearable fitness devices the next frontier?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Frailty is the concept of accumulating physiologic declines that make people less able to deal with stressors, including surgery. Prehabilitation is intervention to enhance functional capacity before surgery. Frailty and prehabilitation among transplant populations and the role of wearable fitness tracking devices (WFTs) in delivering fitness-based interventions will be discussed.

RECENT FINDINGS

Frailty is associated with increased complications, longer length of hospital stay and increased mortality after surgery. Frail kidney transplant patients have increased delayed graft function, mortality and early hospital readmission. Frail lung or liver transplant patients are more likely to delist or die on the waitlist. Prehabilitation can mitigate frailty and has resulted in decreased length of hospital stay and fewer postsurgical complications among a variety of surgical populations. Increasingly, WFTs are used to monitor patient activity and improve patient health. Interventions using WFTs have resulted in improved activity, weight loss and blood pressure.

SUMMARY

Frailty is a measurable parameter that identifies patients at risk for worse health outcomes and can be mitigated through intervention. Prehabilitation to reduce frailty has been shown to improve postsurgical outcomes in a variety of populations. WFTs are being integrated in healthcare delivery for monitoring and changing health behavior with promising results.

Challenge of cancer in the elderly

Despite the sustained trend of decreasing overall cancer incidence, the number of elderly patients with cancer will considerably increase in the coming years, as the incidence of cancer is elevated 11-fold after the age of 65 years compared to adults up to 65 years. This soon-to-erupt tsunami of elderly patients with cancer requires adequate treatment, for which guidelines and evidence-based data are still scarce, given the longlasting under-representation of elderly patients with cancer in cancer trials. Older adults present not only with the physiological decreases of organ functions related to age, but also with an individual burden of comorbidities, other impairments and social factors that might impact on their potential for undergoing cancer care. Close collaboration with gerontologists and other health professionals to assess the personal resources and limitations of each person enables providing adequate therapy to elderly patients with cancer. There are promising achievements in each of the requirements listed, but a huge, holistic effort has still to be made.