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The Prognostic Importance of Frailty in Cancer Survivors
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

The Prognostic Importance of Frailty in Cancer Survivors

Justin C. Brown, Michael O. Harhay and Meera N. Harhay
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS), v 63(12), pp 2538-2543
01 Dec 2015
PMID: 26566767
url
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/jgs.13819View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open
url
https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.13819View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Geriatrics & Gerontology Gerontology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Science & Technology
ObjectivesTo quantify the prognostic importance of prefrailty and frailty in a population-based sample of cancer survivors. DesignThe Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey mortality-linked prospective cohort study. SettingEighty-nine survey locations across the United States. ParticipantsPopulation-based sample of older adults (average age 72.2) with a self-reported diagnosis of non-skin-related cancer (N = 416). MeasurementsThe primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Frailty components included low weight for height, slow walking, weakness, exhaustion, and low physical activity. Participants with none of the five criteria were classified as nonfrail, those with one or two as prefrail, and those with three or more as frail. ResultsThe prevalence of prefrailty was 37.3% and of frailty was 9.1%. During a median follow-up of 11.2 years, 319 (76.7%) participants died. Median survival was 13.9 years for participants classified as nonfrail, 9.5 years for those classified as prefrail, and 2.5 years for those classified as frail. Cancer survivors classified as prefrail (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.28-2.65, P = .001) or frail (HR = 2.79, 95% CI = 1.34-5.81, P = .006) had a higher risk of premature mortality than those classified as nonfrail. ConclusionPrefrailty and frailty are prevalent clinical syndromes that may confer greater risk of premature mortality in older adult cancer survivors. Identifying frail cancer survivors and targeting interventions for them may be a strategy to improve survival after cancer.

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#3 Good Health and Well-Being
#2 Zero Hunger
#5 Gender Equality

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Gerontology
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