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. 2011 Apr 10;29(11):1458-64.
doi: 10.1200/JCO.2010.31.6695. Epub 2011 Mar 14.

Association of cancer with geriatric syndromes in older Medicare beneficiaries

Supriya G Mohile  1 , Lin Fan, Erin Reeve, Pascal Jean-Pierre, Karen Mustian, Luke Peppone, Michelle Janelsins, Gary Morrow, William Hall, William Dale
Affiliations

Association of cancer with geriatric syndromes in older Medicare beneficiaries

Supriya G Mohile et al. J Clin Oncol. .

Abstract

Purpose: To identify whether a history of cancer is associated with specific geriatric syndromes in older patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS; Using the 2003 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, we analyzed a national sample of 12,480 community-based elders. Differences in prevalence of geriatric syndromes between those with and without cancer were estimated. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to evaluate whether cancer was independently associated with geriatric syndromes.

Results: Two thousand three hundred forty-nine (18%) reported a history of cancer. Among those with cancer, 60.3% reported one or more geriatric syndromes as compared with 53.2% of those without cancer (P < .001). Those with cancer overall had a statistically significantly higher prevalence of hearing trouble, urinary incontinence, falls, depression, and osteoporosis than those without cancer. Adjusting for possible confounders, those with a history of cancer were more likely to experience depression (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.15; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.30; P = .023), falls (adjusted OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.32; P = .010), osteoporosis (adjusted OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.38; P = .004), hearing trouble (adjusted OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.52; P = .005), and urinary incontinence (adjusted OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.20 to 1.69; P < .001). Analysis of specific cancer subtypes showed that lung cancer was associated with vision, hearing, and eating trouble; prostate cancer was associated with incontinence and falls; cervical/uterine cancer was associated with falls and osteoporosis; and colon cancer was associated with depression and osteoporosis.

Conclusion: Elderly patients with cancer experience a higher prevalence of geriatric syndromes than those without cancer. Prospective studies that establish the causal relationships between cancer and geriatric syndromes are necessary.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors' disclosures of potential conflicts of interest and author contributions are found at the end of this article.

Figures

Fig 1.
Fig 1.
Prevalence of geriatric syndromes (weighted prevalence, χ2 tests; P < .001).
Fig 2.
Fig 2.
Prevalence of geriatric syndromes by cancer subtypes. (*) Mean number of geriatric syndromes.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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