Physical function in older adults receiving treatment: Correlates and predictors

Area of Science:

• Geriatric oncology
• Cancer survivorship
• Quality of life research

Background:

• Older adults with cancer often prioritize functional health.
• Understanding factors influencing functional health is crucial for tailored interventions.
• Optimizing quality of life is a key goal in cancer care for this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize physical function trajectories in older adults (65+) undergoing systemic cancer therapy.
• To identify demographic, clinical, and symptom correlates of physical function over time.
• To determine the impact of baseline symptoms and frailty on physical function trajectories.

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of a longitudinal cohort study (n=213).
• Data collected via medical records, geriatric assessments, and self-reported/performance-based physical function measures.
• Longitudinal linear mixed models used to analyze changes in physical function and predictors.

Main Results:

• Age, fatigue, and frailty were associated with worse self-reported physical function.
• Targeted treatments correlated with improved self-reported physical function.
• Baseline fatigue, pain, and frailty predicted changes in self-reported physical function; frailty predicted changes in performance-based function.

Conclusions:

• Sociodemographic, clinical, and symptom variables significantly impact physical function in older adults with cancer.
• Regular symptom screenings and geriatric assessments are vital.
• Early, tailored interventions can optimize physical function and quality of life.