Trajectories of functional status among older adults receiving treatment for gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies: A report from the CARE study.
Authors: Smith Giri, Brett Barlow, Mustafa Al-Obaidi, Christian Harmon, Chen Dai, Mackenzi Pergolotti, Olumide B. Gbolahan, Smita Bhatia, Grant Richard Williams
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2021)

12045 Background: Preservation of functional independence while undergoing treatment is of utmost importance to older adults with cancer, in addition to being associated with healthcare utilization and survival. Yet, such data are not readily available from published clinical trials. We sought to examine functional status trajectories and risk factors associated with functional decline among older adults receiving treatment for GI malignancies. Methods: This study included older adults (≥60y) treated at the UAB GI oncology clinic and enrolled in a prospective Cancer and Aging Resilience Evaluation (CARE) registry. All patients completed a geriatric assessment (GA) that included an assessment of activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Participants were approached for a repeat assessment three months after baseline GA. Change in functional status was classified as one or more points decline or improvement in IADL and/or ADL from baseline to follow up. We measured the proportion with functional decline or improvement and constructed 95% confidence interval (95%CI) using binomial exact methods. We built multivariable logistic regression models to study the impact of baseline predictors on functional decline. Putative risk factors included age, sex, race/ethnicity, cancer type &amp; stage, baseline CARE frailty index, fatigue, pain, malnutrition and CT-based muscle mass indices (Skeletal Muscle Index [SMI] and Skeletal Muscle Density [SMD]) at the time of diagnosis. Results: This study included 184 patients. The median age at first visit was 68y (IQR 64-74); 55% were males, 71% white. Primary cancer diagnoses included colorectal cancer (29%), pancreatic cancer (28%) and other GI cancers (43%); 73% presented with advanced stage disease (III/IV). Most patients were receiving first line therapy (91%), with systemic chemotherapy (95%). The median duration between the baseline and follow up assessment was 109 days (IQR 84-154 days). Overall, 38% (95%CI, 30-45%) experienced a functional decline, whereas functional improvement was seen in 22% (95%CI, 16-29%). In a multivariable analysis, baseline frailty (odds ratio [OR] = 2.37; 95%CI, 1.05-5.38; p =0.03) was associated with significantly increased odds of functional decline; a trend towards increased odds was seen for pancreatic cancer (OR = 2.23; 95%CI, 0.90-5.53; p= 0.08; reference group: colorectal cancer). Conclusions: One in three older adults with GI malignancies experienced functional decline while a quarter experienced functional improvement in the first 3 months following treatment. Baseline frailty was associated with higher odds of functional decline. Early identification of such patients may allow targeted interventions to preserve functional independence and optimize quality of life of older adults with cancer.