Risk Factors for Hospitalizations Among Older Adults with Gastrointestinal Cancers.

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Oncology
• Gastrointestinal Oncology
• Clinical Geriatrics

Background:

• Older adults (≥65 years) with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers undergoing chemotherapy are at high risk for hospitalization due to treatment-related toxicity.
• Geriatric assessment (GA) is a validated tool for predicting chemotherapy toxicity risk in older adults.
• Limited studies have specifically investigated GA in older adults with GI cancers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify geriatric assessment-based risk factors for chemotherapy toxicity-related hospitalization in older adults with GI cancers.

Main Methods:

• A secondary post hoc subgroup analysis of two prospective studies was conducted.
• The incidence of unplanned hospitalizations during chemotherapy was determined.
• Included 199 patients aged ≥65 years with GI cancers (colorectal, gastric/esophageal, pancreatic/hepatobiliary).

Main Results:

• 32.7% of patients experienced at least one hospitalization.
• Univariate analysis identified female sex, cardiac comorbidity, stage IV disease, low serum albumin, gastric/esophageal cancer, hearing deficits, and polypharmacy as risk factors.
• Multivariable analysis revealed cardiac comorbidity as a significant predictor of hospitalization (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.13-5.42).

Conclusions:

• Cardiac comorbidity is a potential risk factor for hospitalization in older adults with GI cancers receiving chemotherapy.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to validate these findings.
• Geriatric assessment measures may help identify vulnerable patients at risk for hospitalization.