Dizziness and impaired walking balance in aging patients during chemotherapy

Older adults are at risk of adverse effects during chemotherapy including nausea and fatigue, but many also suffer from dizziness and peripheral neuropathy. This may lead to balance and walking impairments and increased risk of falls and affect health-related quality of life. Moreover, these symptoms are often underreported with inadequate awareness among health professionals leading to deficient focus on the need for targeted assessment and rehabilitation. We aimed to examine the prevalence of dizziness, impaired walking balance, and neuropathy and falls in older adults ≥65 years with gastrointestinal cancer receiving chemotherapy and the associations between these symptoms. Further, we aimed to examine the quantity of patients reporting these symptoms to the oncologist.

This is a cross-sectional study among patients ≥65 years with gastrointestinal cancers who have completed three or more series of chemotherapy. The prevalence of dizziness, impaired walking balance, neuropathy, and reporting of these adverse effects was examined through structured questionnaires.

Of two hundred patients (57 % male, mean age 74.4 years) the prevalence of dizziness was 54 % and the prevalence of patients experiencing impaired walking balance was 48 %. Symptoms of neuropathy was present in 32 % of patients and 11 % experienced falls during chemotherapy. Symptoms of neuropathy was associated with experiencing dizziness: odds ratio (OR) 1.98 (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.06; 3.71) and impaired balance: OR 3.61 (95 % CI: 1.87; 6.96). Less than half the patients (48 %) told the oncologist about these symptoms.

Dizziness and impaired walking balance during chemotherapy are underreported yet profound symptoms among older patients with cancer. Dizziness and impaired balance should be systematically assessed during chemotherapy among older patients.