Objectives: To determine if readily obtainable markers of frailty predict disease-free survival (DFS) in elderly women with endometrial cancer treated with curative intent.
Methods: 88 consecutive women≥age 60 treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation for stage I-IV endometrial cancer were included. We considered the following health deficits as markers of "frailty": albumin <3.5mg/dL, hemoglobin <10mg/dL, BMI<20kg/m,2 unintentional weight loss, ECOG performance status ≥2, history of osteopenia or osteoporosis and Charlson comorbidity score. Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards models of DFS were calculated.
Results: The median age was 68.5 (range 60-88years). The majority of women (65/88) had at least one frailty factor at baseline and 23/88 had two or more. All women received radiation and chemotherapy. Treatment was delayed, modified or truncated in 46% (40/88) of women due to treatment-related toxicity. Age (< 70 vs. ≥70 y) did not independently predict toxicity or recurrence risk. Women with at least one baseline frailty factor had twice the risk of disease recurrence (HR=2.21;95% CI:1.02-4.80) when adjusted for age, stage, grade and Charlson score. The 3-year DFS was 77% in those with no frailty markers and 48% in those with at least one (p=0.02). The presence of a frailty marker also predicted shortened overall survival (HR=2.34;95% CI:1.08-5.03) irrespective of treatment administered and stage of disease.
Conclusions: A combined frailty measure was a more robust predictor of DFS and OS than patient age, tumor characteristics and comorbidities in this cohort of older women with very good functional status.
Keywords: Chemotherapy; Elderly; Endometrial cancer; Frailty; Radiation therapy.
Published by Elsevier Inc.