Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) of elderly lung cancer patients: A single-center experience

PurposeThis study investigated the association of CGA variables with function and survival in elderly lung cancer patients.Patients and methodsWe prospectively included 83 consecutive elderly patients with lung cancer who were seen at the outpatient oncology unit at the Hospital Lluis Alcanyis. The patients completed a geriatric assessment tool to measure functional status, comorbidity, cognitive function, psychological state, social support and nutritional status. The correlations of oncological and geriatric variables with survival were determined.ResultsThe median patient age was 77 years, and the mean number of comorbidities was 3. The measures of dependency were 48.2% for ADL and 69.9% for IADL. PS (p < 0.001), IADL dependency (p < 0.001), dementia (p < 0.001), depression (p < 0.001), weight loss, hypoalbuminemia, delirium and incontinence were independently associated with survival. Frail patients exhibited poorer survival (mean: 18.5 months vs. 9.1 months), but this difference was statistically not significant (p = 0.07).ConclusionsGeriatric assessment detects more information than oncological evaluation alone. Factors related to survival may assist in the classification of elderly lung cancer patients.