Impact of Preoperative Social Frailty on Overall Survival and Cancer-Specific Survival among Older Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancer

Objectives: Frailty is a multidimensional syndrome. However, typical frailty scales used in oncology clinics assess physical impairment and/or malnutrition but do not consider the social domain. Our study aimed to clarify the relationship between preoperative social frailty and overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) among older patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Design: This was a prospective cohort study. Setting and Participants: This single-center study recruited 195 patients with gastrointestinal cancer scheduled for curative surgery and aged >60 years. Methods: The outcomes considered were the OS and CSS of surgery. Primary associated factors included frailty defined as a Geriatric 8 score <14; social frailty defined as 2 or more of the followingdgoing out less frequently, rarely visiting friends, feeling unhelpful to friends or family, living alone, and not talking with someone daily, and combinations therein [no frailty without social frailty (-/-), frailty without social frailty (+/-), no frailty with social frailty (-/+), and frailty with social frailty (+/+)]. We used the Cox proportional hazards model and the Fine and Gray proportional subdistribution hazard model adjusting for confounding factors. Results: Of the 195 patients, 181 (mean age, 72.0 years) were included for analysis. The median follow-up time was 994 days. Social frailty (hazard ratio 3.10) and their combinations [6.35; frailty with social frailty (+/+) vs no frailty without social frailty (-/-)] were significant predictors of OS. Social frailty (subdistribution hazard ratio 3.23) and their combinations (7.57) were significant predictors of CSS. Conclusions and Implications: Preoperative social frailty is a predictor of OS and CSS in older patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Screening for social frailty, frailty, and their combinations in older patients with cancer is important. (c) 2021 AMDA d The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.

Automated summary

The study found a significant relationship between preoperative social frailty and overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) among older patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Screening for social frailty, frailty, and their combinations in older cancer patients is deemed important for predicting survival outcomes.