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. 2023 Apr;28(4):603-609.
doi: 10.1007/s10147-023-02312-2. Epub 2023 Feb 19.

Cancer may accelerate locomotive syndrome and deteriorate quality of life: a single-centre cross-sectional study of locomotive syndrome in cancer patients

Masahiro Hirahata  1 , Jungo Imanishi  2 , Wataru Fujinuma  1 , Satoshi Abe  1 , Takahiro Inui  1 , Naoshi Ogata  3 , Satoshi Iimuro  4 , Retsu Fujita  4 , Kenji Sato  1 , Toru Tokizaki  1 , Taisuke Matsuyama  1 , Hirotaka Kawano  1
Affiliations

Cancer may accelerate locomotive syndrome and deteriorate quality of life: a single-centre cross-sectional study of locomotive syndrome in cancer patients

Masahiro Hirahata et al. Int J Clin Oncol. 2023 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Thanks to recent advancement in cancer treatment, an increasing number of cancer patients are expected to live longer with cancer. The ambulatory ability is essential for cancer patients to spend their own independent lives, but locomotive syndrome (LS), a condition of reduced mobility due to impairment of locomotive organs, in cancer patients has been seldom examined.

Methods: This was a single-institutional cross-sectional study. Cancer patients receiving cancer therapy between April 2020 and March 2021 were asked to participate. LS was classified as stage 0-3, and compared with their performance status (PS). Physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) were calculated from the results of Short Form-8. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for LS stage 3.

Results: One hundred and seventy-six cancer patients were included. The rate of LS was 96.0%. That of LS stage 3 was 40.9% and as high as 29.7% even if limited to those with PS 0. The mean PCS and MCS were both inferior to the national averages. PCS decreased as the LS stage advanced. Old age and underweight were revealed as independent risk factors for LS stage 3.

Conclusions: The ratio of LS in cancer patients was extremely high, and the LS stage correlated with physical QOL. Even those with PS 0 can have severe LS; thus, LS can be a sensitive detector of physical disability of cancer patients than PS. The improvement of LS can be a key to the preservation of their ADL and QOL.

Keywords: Activities of daily living; Cancer; Locomotive syndrome; Quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

This study was supported by the research grant (2019–4) from the Japanese Orthopaedic Association.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The distribution of locomotive syndrome stage in three tests and total assessment. The number of cases classified as each stage was written in each square
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The distribution of locomotive syndrome stage in total assessment according to the cohort. The number of cases classified as each stage was written in each square
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The distribution of the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) of Short Form-8 (SF-8), according to the locomotive syndrome stage. The upper and lower ends of the box indicate the 75th percentile and 25th percentile, respectively. The horizontal lines in each box indicate the 50th percentile, the median of each stage. Two horizontal lines across LS stages indicate the PCS and MCS averages of all the subjects, 45.3 and 48.5, respectively
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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