Effect of frailty on postoperative readmissions and cost of care for ovarian cancer

The pervasive impact of frailty on ovarian cancer care and the role of prehabilitation: Qualitative perspectives of key stakeholders

INTRODUCTION

We performed a qualitative study to explore key stakeholders' perspectives about the impact of frailty on ovarian cancer care and evaluate a candidate prehabilitation intervention.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted semi-structured interviews with patient-caregiver dyads and multi-disciplinary clinicians. Patients were ≥ 50 years of age with a new diagnosis of advanced stage (III/IV) ovarian cancer who received cancer-directed treatment (chemotherapy and/or surgery) during the past year and met criteria as pre-frail or frail using the FRAIL scale. We used a semi-structured interview guide to elicit participants' views on frailty, nutrition, physical therapy, and a candidate prehabilitation intervention. We used inductive and deductive approaches to code and analyze interviews and identify emergent themes and patterns.

RESULTS

Ten patients and caregivers (five dyads) and 10 providers were interviewed. We identified four themes: (1) frailty screening is essential to prevent over- and under-treatment, but underused; (2) stakeholders preferred a multidisciplinary approach to providing tailored care for frail patients over a candidate prehabilitation intervention; (3) patient, family caregiver, and clinician stakeholders reported multiple barriers to prehabilitation programs, including concerns about selection bias, and (4) frail patients and family members are vulnerable and require more psychosocial support.

DISCUSSION

We identified significant barriers to prehabilitation interventions for frail patients with ovarian cancer; initiatives to increase frailty screening and provide tailored multi-disciplinary approaches may have a greater impact.

Prevalence and factors influencing preoperative frailty in elderly patients with gynecologic oncology surgery: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Frailty is an important predictor of poor postoperative outcomes in elderly patients with gynaecologic cancer. However, the prevalence and risk factors for frailty in this population remain unclear.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted simultaneously in three gynecology departments of a tertiary hospital in China between January and March 2024. The study recruited 126 hospitalised patients with gynaecologic malignancies who underwent surgery. The demographic and clinical characteristics and biochemical laboratory parameters of all patients were collected. The Edmonton Frailty Scale was used to assess the patient's frailty. Multivariate logistic regression model analysis was used to identify the influencing factors of frailty.

RESULTS

The prevalence of preoperative frailty was 31 %. Univariate analysis showed significant differences between frail and non-frail groups in terms of age, body mass index, menopausal status, self-management ability, nutritional risk and activities of daily living (ADL) (all p < 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis identified older age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27, 95%CI: 1.068-1.511, p = 0.007), ADL disability (OR = 3.184, 95%CI: 2.294-4.833, p = 0.010) and high nutritional risk (Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 score ≥ 3) (OR = 4.823, 95%CI: 1.422-16.816, p = 0.031) as risk factors for frailty. High self-management ability (OR = 0.918, 95%CI: 0.844-0.998, p = 0.046) was a protective factor against frailty.

CONCLUSION

Nutritional support, activity exercise and improvement of patient self-management are potential intervention goals, and nurses should develop targeted prevention strategies based on identified risk factors to protect patient health.

The impact of frailty on chemotherapy intolerance in patients with cervical cancer: A longitudinal study

PURPOSE

To explore the potential effects of frailty on chemotherapy intolerance in patients with cervical cancer.

METHODS

A longitudinal study of patients with cervical cancer undergoing postoperative Adjuvant Chemotherapy (ACT) was conducted at a hospital in Northwest China from July 2020 to December 2021. Baseline frailty was assessed using the Tilburg Frailty Indicator. Chemotherapy intolerance was obtained from electronic medical records during the intervals between each postoperative chemotherapy session. We used Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) to determine the predictors and cox regression analysis to analyze the impact of frailty on chemotherapy intolerance.

RESULTS

A total of 259 patients with postoperative cervical cancer with a mean age of 52.5 years (SD = 10.3) participated in this study. The incidence of chemotherapy intolerance in the frail group at T1, T2, T3 and T4 was 51.6%, 38.9%, 55.6% and 73.7%, respectively. The patients with frailty were more likely to have chemotherapy intolerance (OR = 1.495, 95% CI: 1.074-2.080, P < 0.05), prolonged hospitalizations (OR = 1.577, 95% CI: 1.086-2.291, P < 0.05) and unplanned readmissions (OR = 2.304, 95% CI: 1.387-3.829, P < 0.05) compared to the patients without frailty. Cox regression analysis showed that frailty increased the risk of chemotherapy intolerance by 1.681-fold (HR = 1.681, 95%CI 1.041-2.713; P < 0.05) and unplanned readmissions by 2.812-fold (HR = 2.812, 95%CI 1.521-5.200; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty can lead to an increased risk of chemotherapy intolerance in patients with cervical cancer undergoing postoperative ACT, and patients with frailty are more likely to experience prolonged hospitalizations and unplanned readmissions.

Frailty in patients with ovarian cancer and the role of healthcare access, race, and ethnicity

OBJECTIVE

Ovarian cancer has poor 5-year survival, particularly among non-Hispanic (NH) Black patients. Efforts to identify patients at high-risk of functional limitations and frailty may improve outcomes. In this study, we examined how healthcare access (HCA) and race/ethnicity relate to frailty among patients with ovarian cancer.

METHODS

We identified Hispanic, NH Black, and NH White patients diagnosed at ages ≥6 5 years with ovarian cancer between 2009 and 2015 using SEER-Medicare. Log-binomial regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between HCA and race/ethnicity with pre- or post-diagnosis frailty, adjusting for age and comorbidities.

RESULTS

A total of 6041 patients with ovarian cancer were included, including 91.8% NH White, 6.6% NH Black, and 1.7% Hispanic. Pre-diagnosis, 14.7% of patients were defined as frail (NH White: 14.3%; NH Black: 17.9%; Hispanic: 20.8%). Post-diagnosis, frailty prevalence increased to 58.8% (NH White: 58.2%; NH Black: 65.2%; Hispanic: 70.2%). No statistically significant associations were observed between race/ethnicity and pre- or post-diagnosis frailty in fully adjusted models. After adjustment for patient characteristics and healthcare accessibility and availability, higher healthcare affordability was associated with a decreased prevalence of pre-diagnosis frailty (PR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.8 5, 0.98).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with ovarian cancer have a high prevalence of frailty after diagnosis, particularly NH Black and Hispanic patients. Improving healthcare affordability may prevent or help manage frailty in Medicare patients, improve receipt of cancer treatment, and increase cancer survival.

Risk factors for early readmission to hospital in patients with malignancy-related ascites: a retrospective cohort study

Introduction

Malignancy-related ascites (MRA) is a common serious complication of many advanced malignant tumors with high morbidity and mortality. The high hospital expenditures induced by unplanned readmission in patients with MRA have become an urgent issue to the public. We aimed to overall assess the unplanned early readmission rate of patients with MRA and explore the potential risk factors for such readmission.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study based on 2018 Nationwide Readmissions Database was performed and patients with MRA were recruited into the analysis. The primary outcome was unplanned 30-day readmission rate and inpatient outcomes. The multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the potential risk factors for such early readmission.

Results

Data obtained from 32,457 patients with MRA were analyzed, and of these 7,799 individuals (24.03%) were unplanned readmitted within 30-day follow-up. The mortality rate in the readmitted population was 15.15%. Patients at younger age were at a higher risk of readmission. The morbidities including hypertension (OR=1.117, 95%CI: 1.054-1.184), hyperlipemia (OR=1.075, 95%CI: 1.009-1.146) and diabetes (OR=1.118, 95%CI: 1.053-1.188), gastrointestinal malignancies and peritoneal procedure significantly increased the risk of 30-day readmission in patients with MRA.

Discussion

More than one in five patients with MRA was unplanned readmitted within 30-day follow-up. The above risk factors should be timely intervened and the corresponding medical care should be strengthened in patients with MRA to lessen the unplanned readmission and improve the readmission outcomes.

Frailty in middle-aged and older adult postoperative patients with gynecological malignancies structural equation modeling

Background

Frailty and self-management are important determinants of quality of life in cancer patients. However, their synergistic effects and potential mechanisms on quality of life in middle-aged and older adult postoperative gynecologic malignancy patients have not been adequately studied.

Objective

This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the relationship between frailty, self-management, and quality of life in middle-aged and older adult postoperative gynecologic malignancy patients.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2024 to April 2024 in three gynecological wards of a tertiary hospital in Wuxi. The study recruited 177 patients aged 45 years or older who underwent surgery for gynecologic malignancies (cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancer). Data were collected using demographic and clinical characteristics, the Edmonton Frailty Scale, the Self-Management Competence Scale, and the EORTC Core Quality of Life Questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was used to explore the interactions between frailty, self-management, and quality of life.

Results

The prevalence of frailty in middle-aged and older adult postoperative gynecologic malignancy patients was 39.5%, with a mean total self-management score of 125.81 ± 13.21 and a mean total quality of life score of 69.26 ± 10.88. The fit indices of the model indicated a good fit, and that frailty had multiple effects on quality of life; specifically, frailty could affect the quality of life directly or through self-management, i.e., self-management partially mediated frailty and quality of life.

Conclusion

Self-management is a mediating variable between frailty and quality of life, suggesting that clinical workers can intervene in self-management skills to improve patient's quality of life and physical and mental health.

Relationship between frailty and nutrition: Refining predictors of mortality after primary cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to examine the interplay between frailty and nutritional status on 90-day mortality after primary cytoreductive surgery (PCS) for ovarian cancer (OC).

METHODS

Patients with OC who underwent PCS from 1/2/2006-4/30/2018 at a single institution were identified. Frailty index (FI) includes 30 items and is calculated summing across all the item scores and dividing by the total; frailty was defined as FI ≥0.15. Nutritional status was considered impaired when preoperative serum albumin was <3.5 g/dL. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between FI (continuous) and albumin status (binary) and 90-day postoperative mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 533 patients (mean age, 64.4 years) were included, the majority were stage IIIC disease and serous histology. Albumin was <3.5 g/dL in 87 patients (16.3%) and 113 patients (21.2%) were considered frail. Median FI was 0.07 (IQR 0.03, 0.13). Postoperative 90-day mortality occurred in 24 patients (4.5%). Mortality within 90 days was higher amongst patients with low albumin (12/87, 13.8%), regardless of frailty status (13.8% [9/65] non-frail and 13.6% [3/22] frail patients). Ninety-day mortality in patients with normal albumin (n = 446) was over twice as likely in frail versus non-frail patients (5.5% [5/91] vs. 2.0% [7/355], respectively, p = 0.08). A model to assess 90-day mortality that included both FI and low albumin significantly improved the overall discrimination compared to low albumin alone (AUC 0.76 vs. 0.68 p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that frailty and nutrition are both related to 90-day mortality. Preoperative interventions to improve functional and nutritional characteristics are needed.

Beyond Sterilization: A Comprehensive Review on the Safety and Efficacy of Opportunistic Salpingectomy as a Preventative Strategy for Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer (OC) is Canada's third most common gynecological cancer, with an estimated 3000 new cases and 1950 deaths projected in 2022. No effective screening has been found to identify OC, especially the most common subtype, high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC), at an earlier, curable stage. In patients with hereditary predispositions such as BRCA mutations, the rates of HGSC are significantly elevated, leading to the use of risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy as the key preventative intervention. Although surgery has been shown to prevent HGSC in high-risk women, the associated premature menopause has adverse long-term sequelae and mortality due to non-cancer causes. The fact that 75% of HGSCs are sporadic means that most women diagnosed with HGSC will not have had the option to avail of either screening or prevention. Recent research suggests that the fimbrial distal fallopian tube is the most likely origin of HGSC. This has led to the development of a prevention plan for the general population: opportunistic salpingectomy, the removal of both fallopian tubes. This article aims to compile and review the studies evaluating the effect of opportunistic salpingectomy on surgical-related complications, ovarian reserve, cost, and OC incidence when performed along with hysterectomy or instead of tubal ligation in the general population.

The effect of older age on treatment outcomes in women with advanced ovarian cancer receiving chemotherapy: An NRG-Oncology/Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG-0182-ICON5) ancillary study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of age on overall survival (OS) in women with ovarian cancer receiving chemotherapy. Secondary objectives were to describe the effect of age on treatment compliance, toxicities, progression free survival (PFS), time from surgery to chemotherapy, and rates of optimal cytoreduction.

METHODS

Women enrolled in GOG 0182-ICON5 with stage III or IV epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) who underwent surgery and chemotherapy between 2001 and 2004 were included. Patients were divided into ages <70 and ≥ 70 years. Baseline characteristics, treatment compliance, toxicities, and clinical outcomes were compared.

RESULTS

We included a total of 3686 patients, with 620 patients (16.8%) ≥ 70 years. OS was 37.2 months in older compared to 45.0 months in younger patients (HR 1.21, 95% CI, 1.09-1.34, p < 0.001). Older patients had an increased risk of cancer-specific-death (HR 1.16, 95% CI, 1.04-1.29) as well as non-cancer related deaths (HR 2.78, 95% CI, 2.00-3.87). Median PFS was 15.1 months in older compared to 16.0 months in younger patients (HR 1.10, 95% CI, 1.00-1.20, p = 0.056). In the carboplatin/paclitaxel arm, older patients were just as likely to complete therapy and more likely to develop grade ≥ 2 peripheral neuropathy (35.7 vs 19.7%, p < 0.001). Risk of other toxicities remained equal between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In women with advanced EOC receiving chemotherapy, age ≥ 70 was associated with shorter OS and cancer specific survival. Older patients receiving carboplatin and paclitaxel reported higher rates of grade ≥ 2 neuropathy but were not more likely to suffer from other chemotherapy related toxicities. Clintrials.gov: NCT00011986.

Medicaid Expansion and Postoperative Mortality in Women with Gynecologic Cancer: A Difference-in-Difference Analysis

BACKGROUND

The association between Medicaid expansion and postoperative mortality after surgery for gynecologic cancer is unknown. Our objective was to compare 30- and 90-day postoperative mortality after gynecologic cancer surgery before and after 2014 in states that did and did not expand Medicaid.

METHODS

We searched the National Cancer Database for women aged 40-64 years old between 2010 and 2016 who underwent surgery for a primary gynecologic malignancy. We used pre/post and quasi-experimental difference-in-difference (DID) multivariable logistic regressions to evaluate mortality pre-2014 (2010-2013) and post-2014 (2014-2016) for states that did and did not expand Medicaid in January 2014. We completed univariable logistic regressions for covariates of interest.

RESULTS

Among 169,731 women, 30-day postoperative mortality in expansion states after 2014 significantly decreased for endometrial cancer (odds ratio [OR] 0.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.26-0.67) and ovarian cancer (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.46-0.99) and increased for cervical cancer (OR 3.82, 95% CI 1.12-13.01). Compared with non-expansion states, expansion states had improved 30-day postoperative mortality for endometrial cancer after 2014 (DID OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.31-0.96). Univariable analysis demonstrated improved 30-day postoperative mortality for Black women with endometrial cancer in expansion states (DID OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.05-0.95). There was improved 90-day postoperative mortality for endometrial cancer in expansion states (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.50-0.85), and improved 90-day postoperative mortality for Midwestern women with ovarian cancer in expansion states on univariable analysis (DID OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.26-0.91).

CONCLUSIONS

State Medicaid legislation was associated with improved postoperative survival in women with endometrial cancer and subgroups of women with endometrial and ovarian cancer.

Frailty as a predictor of delayed initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify whether frailty is associated with the time between surgery and the initiation of chemotherapy for patients with ovarian cancer.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included patients 18 years or older with stage II to IV ovarian cancer who underwent primary debulking surgery at a tertiary medical center between July 2006 and July 2015. Basic demographics and clinical information were obtained from a departmental database and the electronic medical record. The Modified Frailty Index (mFI) was calculated based on 10 comorbidities and functional status yielding 11 items total. Patients were categorized by a total score: 0-1=no frailty, 2=moderate frailty and 3+=high frailty.

RESULTS

Among 451 patients, 359 had mFI scores of 0-1, 60 had a score of 2, and 32 had scores of 3+. Mean time from surgery to initiation of chemotherapy was 37 days. Mean number of days between surgery and initiation of chemotherapy increased with increasing frailty score: 36 days for the not frail group, 39 days for the moderate frailty group, and 54 days for the high frailty group (p<0.001). Time to initiation of chemotherapy of 42 days or more occurred in 23% of the no frailty group, 28% in the moderate frailty group, and 63% in the high frailty group (p<0.001). Overall survival decreased with increasing frailty scores.

CONCLUSION

High mFI scores lead to a greater delay between surgery and chemotherapy initiation. Being able to predict delays in initiation of chemotherapy may allow oncologists to consider neoadjuvant chemotherapy, pre-habilitation before surgery, and improved preoperative counseling in high-risk patients.

Development of a risk prediction score for acute postpartum care utilization

BACKGROUND

Acute postpartum care utilization and readmissions are increasing in the United States and contribute significantly to maternal morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Currently, there are limited data on the prediction of patients who will require acute postpartum care utilization.

OBJECTIVE

To develop and validate a risk prediction model for acute postpartum care utilization.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study of delivery hospitalizations with a linked birth certificate and discharge records in California from 2011 to 2015 was divided into a training and testing set for analysis and validation. Predictive models for acute postpartum care utilization using demographic, comorbidity, obstetrical complication, and other factors were developed using a backward stepwise logistic regression on training data. A risk score for acute postpartum care utilization was developed using beta coefficients from the factors remaining in the final multivariable model. Risk scores were validated using the testing dataset.

RESULTS

The final sample included 2,045,988 delivery hospitalizations with an acute postpartum care utilization rate of 7.6% in both training and testing cohorts. Twenty-two risk factors were identified for the final multivariable model, including several that were associated with two or more increased odds of acute care utilization (public insurance, postpartum hemorrhage, extremes of maternal age). The mean risk score was 2.45, conferring a 15 times higher risk of acute postpartum care utilization compared to those with a risk score <1 (RR 15.4, 95% CI: 11.0, 21.7). Demographics and test performance characteristics were comparably similar in predictive capability in both models (0.67 in both the training and testing cohorts).

CONCLUSION

Risk factors that are identifiable before discharge can be used to create a cumulative risk score to stratify patients at the lowest and highest risk of acute postpartum care utilization with satisfactory accuracy. External validation and the addition of other granular clinical variables are necessary to validate the feasibility of use.

Influence of interdisciplinary frailty screening on perioperative complication rates in elderly ovarian cancer patients: results of a retrospective observational study

Purpose

Frailty is a frequent and underdiagnosed multidimensional age-related syndrome, involving decreased physiological performance reserves and marked vulnerability against major stressors. To standardize the preoperative frailty assessment and identify patients at risk of adverse surgical outcomes, commonly used global health assessment tools were evaluated. We aimed to assess three interdisciplinary preoperative screening assessments to investigate the influence of frailty status with in-hospital complications irrespective of surgical complexity and radicality in older women with ovarian cancer (OC).

Methods

Preoperative frailty status was examined by the G8 geriatric screening tool (G8 Score-geriatric screening), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS-oncological screening), and American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status System (ASA PS-anesthesiologic screening). The main outcome measures were the relationship between perioperative laboratory results, intraoperative surgical parameters and the incidence of immediate postoperative in-hospital complications with the preoperative frailty status.

Results

116 consecutive women 60 years and older (BMI 24.8 ± 5.2 kg/m2) with OC, who underwent elective oncological surgery in University Medical Center Mainz between 2008 and 2019 were preoperatively classified with the selected global health assessment tools as frail or non-frail. The rate of preoperative anemia (hemoglobin ≤ 12 g/dl) and perioperative transfusions were significantly higher in the G8-frail group (65.9% vs. 34.1%; p = 0.006 and 62.7% vs. 41.8%, p = 0.031; respectively). In addition, patients preoperatively classified as G8-frail exhibited significantly more postoperative clinical in-hospital complications (27.8% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.045) independent of chronological age and BMI. In contrast, ECOG PS and ASA PS did not predict the rates of postoperative complications (all p values > 0.05). After propensity score matching, the complication rate in the G8-frail cohort was approximately 1.7 times more common than in the G8-non-frail cohort.

Conclusion

Preoperative frailty assessment with the G8 Score identified elderly women with OC recording a significantly higher rate of postoperative in-hospital complications. In G8-frail patients, preoperative anemia and perioperative transfusions were significantly more recorded, regardless of chronological age, abnormal BMI and surgical complexity. Standardized preoperative frailty assessment should be added to clinical routine care to enhance risk stratification in older cancer individuals for surgical patient-centered decision-making.

Frailty and long-term survival of patients with ovarian cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Frailty has been related with poor prognosis of various diseases, including ovarian cancer. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association between frailty and long-term survival of patients with ovarian cancer.

Methods

Relevant cohort studies were retrieved by search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane's Library, and Web of Science electronic databases. Two authors independently performed literature search, data collection, and statistical analyses. A random-effect model incorporating the possible influence of heterogeneity was used to pool the results.

Results

Nine cohort studies including 2497 women with confirmed diagnosis of ovarian cancer contributed to the meta-analysis, and 536 (21.5%) of them were with high frailty. The median follow-up durations varied between 24 and 69 months. Compared to patients with low or non-frailty, OC patients with high frailty were associated with poor overall survival (risk ratio [RR]: 1.61, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.41 to 1.85, p < 0.001; I2 = 0%) and progression-free survival (RR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.20 to 1.89, p < 0.001; I2 = 0%). Subgroup analyses according to study design, cancer stage, age of patients, scales for frailty evaluation, follow-up duration, and quality score of the included study showed consistent association between high frailty and poor overall survival in women with ovarian cancer (p for subgroup effects all < 0.05). After considering GRADE criteria for strength of the evidence, it was rated low for both the two outcomes.

Conclusion

High frailty may be an independent risk factor of poor survival in women with ovarian cancer. Evaluating frailty may be important for predicting the prognosis and determining the optimal anticancer treatments in women with ovarian cancer.

Systematic Review Registration

https://inplasy.com/, identifier INPLASY202290028.

Frailty is independently associated with worse outcomes and increased resource utilization following endometrial cancer surgery

OBJECTIVE

Frailty has been associated with poorer surgical outcomes and is a critical factor in procedural risk assessment. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of frailty on surgical outcomes in patients with endometrial cancer.

METHODS

Patients undergoing inpatient gynecologic surgery for endometrial cancer were identified using the 2005-2017 Nationwide Inpatient Sample database. The Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Groups frailty-defining diagnosis indicator was used to designate frailty. Multivariate regression models were used to assess the association of frailty with postoperative outcomes and resource use.

RESULTS

Of 339 846 patients, 2.9% (9868) were considered frail. After adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics, frailty was associated with a four-fold increase in inpatient mortality (adjusted OR (aOR) 4.1; p<0.001), non-home discharge (aOR 5.2; p<0.001), as well as increased respiratory (aOR 2.6; p<0.001), neurologic (aOR 3.3; p<0.001), renal (aOR 2.0; p<0.001), and infectious (aOR 3.2; p<0.001) complications. While frail patients exhibited increased mortality with age, the rate of mortality in this cohort decreased significantly over time. Compared with non-frail counterparts, frail patients had longer lengths of stay (7.6 vs 3.4 days; p<0.001) and increased hospitalization costs with surgical admission ($25 093 vs $13 405; p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty is independently associated with worse surgical outcomes, including increased mortality and resource use, in women undergoing surgery for endometrial cancer. Though in recent years there have been improvements in mortality in the frail population, further efforts to mitigate the impact of frailty should be explored.

Preoperative assessment using the five-factor modified frailty index: A call for standardized preoperative assessment and prehabilitation services in gynecologic oncology

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate if the 5-factor modified frailty index (mFI) is associated with postoperative complications, readmissions or non-home discharge in gynecologic cancer patients undergoing surgery.

METHODS

Patients with a diagnosis of gynecologic cancer (cervical, uterine, or ovarian cancer) who underwent surgery between 2014 and 2018 were identified through the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. The 5-factor mFI was applied and patients classified into 6 categories (mFI groups 0,1,2, 3, 4 and 5). The incidence of 30-day complications, readmissions and non-home discharge was evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the association between mFI category and readmissions/ complications. Adjusted probabilities of events were calculated based on patient characteristics.

RESULTS

At total of 31,181 gynecologic cancer cases were included in the analysis: N = 2968 (9.4%) cervical, N = 20,862 (66.4%) uterine, and N = 7351 (23.4%) ovarian cancers. Of all patients, 46.1% were in category 0, 36.5% category 1, and 1% category 3-5. Factors associated with increased mFI included older age, African American race, laparoscopic surgery and obesity. A significant dose-response relationship between higher mFI and readmission and 30-day complications was noted on adjusted multivariable analysis (adjusted OR 2.37 (1.65-3.45) and 2.10 (1.59-2.75) for readmissions and complications, respectively, in mFI category 3-5). These associations were consistent within each cancer type.

CONCLUSIONS

The 5-factor mFI universally predicts postoperative readmissions, 30-day complications and non-home discharge in patients with gynecologic cancer. Incorporation of mFI into routine preoperative assessment can identify patients for non-surgical treatments, prehabiliatation and short term home assessments.

The five-factor modified frailty index predicts adverse postoperative and chemotherapy outcomes in gynecologic oncology

INTRODUCTION

Frailty is increasingly recognized as a predictor of postoperative morbidity and oncologic outcomes. Evidence of the predictive value of frailty assessment in gynecologic oncology remains sparse.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) comorbidity-based modified Frailty Index-5 (mFI-5) as predictor of severe postoperative complications, non-completion of chemotherapy and other patient-centered outcomes in gynecologic oncology patients >70 years-old undergoing surgery.

METHODS

Prospectively-collected NSQIP data and retrospective chart review of patients undergoing elective laparotomies for gynecologic malignances at a tertiary academic center in Ontario, Canada, between 01/2016-09/2020 were reviewed. Primary outcome was rate of 30-day Clavien-Dindo (Clavien) grade III-V complications. Secondary outcomes included Clavien II-V complications, postoperative length of stay (LOS), non-home discharge and non-completion of chemotherapy. Logistic regression analyses and receiver-operator curves were performed.

RESULTS

Two-hundred and fifty-nine patients were included; 103 were planned to receive adjuvant chemotherapy. Fifty-three patients (20.5%) had an mFI ≥ 2 and were categorized as frail. On multivariable analyses, frailty independently predicted grade III-V complications (OR 24.49, 95%CI 9.72-70.67, p < 0.0001), grade II-V complications (OR 4.64, 95%CI 2.31-9.94, p < 0.0001), non-home discharge (OR 7.37, 95%CI 2.81-20.46, p < 0.0001), LOS ≥ 7d (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.54-8.6, p = 0.003) and non-completion of chemotherapy (OR 8.42, 95%CI 2.46-32.79, p = 0.001). Adjusted C-statistics demonstrated strong predictive value of the mFI-5 for grade III-V (0.92, 95%CI 0.86-0.97) and grade II-V (0.74, 95%CI 0.68-0.8) complications as well as non-home discharge (0.86, 95%CI 0.78-0.95) and chemotherapy non-completion (0.87, 95%CI 0.8-0.95).

CONCLUSION

Frailty as assessed with the mFI-5 predicted adverse postoperative and chemotherapy outcomes in gynecologic oncology patients aged ≥70 undergoing a laparotomy. The mFI-5 is a concise tool that can be used for routine frailty screening and risk stratification.

Abdominal hysterectomy and high frailty score are associated with complications among older patients

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate effects of frailty and hysterectomy route on 30-day postoperative morbidity for older hysterectomy patients.

METHODS

Participants included patients in the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database aged 60 years or older and undergoing simple hysterectomy from 2014 to 2018. The Five-Factor Modified Frailty Index approximated frailty: women with scores of 3 or more, indicating more severe comorbidities, were considered frail. Logistic regression multivariable models with and without an interaction term were used to study the independent and interactive effects of frailty and route on postoperative complications.

RESULTS

Of 19 888 hysterectomies, 4356 (21.9%) were abdominal, 13 382 (67%) were laparoscopic, and 2150 (10.8%) were vaginal, with 251 (1.3%) frail patients. Frailty (odds ratio [OR] 1.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32-2.70, P = 0.001) and abdominal versus laparoscopic hysterectomy (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.88-2.45, P < 0.001) increased complication odds. Assessing interaction, complication odds for abdominal versus laparoscopic hysterectomy were higher for frail patients (OR 4.12, 95% CI 1.96-8.67, P < 0.001) versus non-frail patients (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.84-2.40).

CONCLUSION

Frail older patients have increased risk for hysterectomy complications, especially with abdominal hysterectomy versus laparoscopic hysterectomy. A frailty index can be a useful preoperative tool to guide counseling and route choice.

Prehabilitation for medically frail patients undergoing surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer: a cost-effectiveness analysis

Objective

To assess the potential cost-effectiveness of prehabilitation in medically frail patients undergoing surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).

Methods

We created a cost-effectiveness model evaluating the impact of prehabilitation on a cohort of medically frail women undergoing primary surgical intervention for EOC. Cost was assessed from the healthcare system perspective via (1) inpatient charges from 2018–2019 institutional Diagnostic Related Grouping data for surgeries with and without major complications; (2) nursing facility costs from published market surveys. Major complication and non-home discharge rates were estimated from the literature. Based on published pilot studies, prehabilitation was determined to decrease these rates. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for cost per life year saved utilized a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000/life year. Modeling was performed with TreeAge software.

Results

In a cohort of 4,415 women, prehabilitation would cost $371.1 Million (M) versus $404.9 M for usual care, a cost saving of $33.8 M/year. Cost of care per patient with prehabilitation was $84,053; usual care was $91,713. When analyzed for cost-effectiveness, usual care was dominated by prehabilitation, indicating prehabilitation was associated with both increased effectiveness and decreased cost compared with usual care. Sensitivity analysis showed prehabilitation was more cost effective up to a cost of intervention of $9,418/patient.

Conclusion

Prehabilitation appears to be a cost-saving method to decrease healthcare system costs via two improved outcomes: lower complication rates and decreased care facility requirements. It represents a novel strategy to optimize healthcare efficiency. Prospective studies should be performed to better characterize these interventions in medically frail patients with EOC.

Prehabilitation cost-effectiveness analysis was performed for medically frail epithelial ovarian cancer patients undergoing surgery. It was cost-saving for the healthcare system via lower complication rates and discharge care requirements. Prehabilitation was cost effective up to a cost of $9,418/patient.

Modified frailty index predicts postoperative complications in women with gynecologic cancer undergoing cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy

OBJECTIVE(S)

To evaluate the impact of frailty on postoperative complications following cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intra-peritoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in women with advanced or recurrent gynecologic cancer.

METHODS

An IRB-approved single-institution prospective registry was queried for women who underwent CRS with HIPEC for advanced or recurrent gynecologic cancer from 1/1/2014-12/31/2020. Frailty was defined as a modified Frailty Index (mFI) score of ≥2. Logistic regression was used to assess the impact of mFI upon the rate of moderate or higher (≥ grade 2) Accordion postoperative complications.

RESULTS

Of 141 women, 81.6% (n = 115) were non-frail with mFI of 0-1 and 18.4% (n = 26) were frail with mFI ≥2. The incidence of ≥ grade 2 complications was 21.2% (n = 14) for mFI = 0, 26.5% (n = 13) for mFI = 1, 64.7% (n = 11) for mFI = 2 and 100.0% (n = 9) for patients with mFI ≥3. The incidence of re-operation (1.7% vs. 11.5%, p = 0.044), ICU admission (13.2% vs. 34.6%, p = 0.018), acute kidney injury (6.3% vs. 30.8%, p = 0.001), and respiratory failure (0.9% vs. 19.2%, p < 0.001) were significantly lower amongst non-frail vs. frail women. On multivariable analysis, mFI ≥2 was associated with significantly increased ≥ grade 2 complications versus mFI of 0-1 (OR 9.4, 95% CI 3.3, 26.4, p < 0.001). Age (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00, 1.09, p = 0.07), surgical indication (recurrent vs. primary) (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.30, 1.7, p = 0.44) and Surgical Complexity Score of Intermediate or High vs. Low (OR 1.5, 95% CI 0.67, 3.5, p = 0.31) were not associated with ≥grade 2 complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty, defined by the modified frailty index, is predictive of ≥grade 2 postoperative complications following CRS with HIPEC in women with gynecologic cancer. Frailty screening before CRS with HIPEC may assist patient selection and improve postoperative outcomes.

Methods for frailty screening and geriatric assessment in older adults with cancer

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review highlights the latest development in the use of geriatric assessment(GA) and frailty assessment for older adults with cancer.

RECENT FINDINGS

From 2019, there were six large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) completed of GA for older adults with cancer, as well as several studies of frailty screening tools.

SUMMARY

The findings in this review highlight the benefits of implementing GA, followed by interventions to address the identified issues (GA -guided interventions). Four of six RCTs that implemented GA for older adults with cancer showed positive impact on various outcomes, including treatment toxicity and quality of life. GA implementation varied significantly between studies, from oncologist acting on GA summary, geriatrician comanagement, to full GA by a multidisciplinary team. However, there were several barriers reported to implementing GA for all older adults with cancer, such as access to geriatrics and resource issues. Future research needs to elucidate how to best operationalize GA in various cancer settings. The authors also reviewed frailty screening tools and latest evidence on their use and impact.

The effect of frailty on postoperative readmissions, morbidity, and mortality in endometrial cancer surgery

OBJECTIVES

To determine the impact of frailty on postoperative readmission, morbidity, and mortality among patients undergoing surgery for endometrial cancer.

METHODS

Patients with endometrial cancer undergoing hysterectomy between 2010 and 2014 were identified using the Nationwide Readmissions Database. Frailty was classified using criteria outlined by the Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Groups Frailty Diagnoses Indicators. Primary outcomes were divided by index surgical admission (intensive level of care, mortality, non-routine discharge), 30-days (readmission and mortality), and 90-days (readmission and mortality) after discharge. Multivariable log linear regression models were fit to analyze the effect of frailty on these outcomes, adjusting for patient, hospital, and clinical factors.

RESULTS

From 2010 to 2014, there were 144,809 surgical endometrial cancer cases with a 1.8% frailty rate. Frailty was associated with an increased risk of intensive level of care (aRR = 3.61, 95% CI: 2.95, 4.42), non-routine discharge (aRR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.51, 1.68), and inpatient mortality (aRR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.68, 2.51) during index admission. Frail patients were more likely to be readmitted within 30 days (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.22-1.47) and 90-days (RR 1.21, 95% CI 1.12, 1.32), and were at increased risk of mortality during their 30-day readmission (aRR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.28-2.39). Frailty was not associated with 90-day mortality. Hospitalization costs for frail patients were significantly higher than for non-frail patients during index admission and readmissions within 30 and 90 days (p < 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty affects postoperative outcomes in endometrial cancer patients and is associated with an increased rate of readmission and 30-day mortality among those who are readmitted. Gynecologic cancer providers should screen for frailty and consider outcomes in frail patients when counseling them for surgery.

Preoperative frailty assessment in patients undergoing gynecologic oncology surgery: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present article was to discuss currently available evidence on the impact of frailty assessment on adverse postoperative outcomes and survival in patients undergoing surgery for gynecological cancer.

METHODS

Systematic search of Medline (PubMed) and Embase databases until September 30, 2020. Key inclusion criteria were: (1) randomized or observational studies; (2) patients undergoing non-emergent surgery for gynecological malignancies; (3) preoperative frailty assessment.

RESULTS

Through the process of evidence acquisition, twelve studies including 85,672 patients were selected and six tools were evaluable: 30-item frailty index, 40-item frailty index, modified frailty index (mFI), John Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Groups index, Fried frailty criteria, Driver's tool. The prevalence of frailty varied roughly from 6.1% to 60% across different series included. The mFI was the most adopted and predictive instrument. Pooled results underlined that frail patients were more likely to develop 30-day postoperative complications (OR:4.16; 95%CI 1.49-11.65; p:0.007), non-home discharge (OR:4.41; 95%CI: 4.09-4.76; p < 0.001), ICU admission (OR:3.99;3.76-4.24; p < 0.001) than the non-frail counterpart. Additionally, frail patients experienced worse oncologic outcomes (disease-free and overall survivals) than non-frail patients.

CONCLUSION

The present systematic review demonstrated that preoperative frailty assessment among gynecologic oncology patients is essential to predict adverse outcomes and tailor a personalized treatment. The mFI appeared as the most used and feasible tool in daily practice, suggesting that tailored therapeutic strategies should be considered for patients with 3 or more frailty-defining items.