Allison Magnuson

Cognitive Complaints in Survivors of Breast Cancer After Chemotherapy Compared With Age-Matched Controls: An Analysis From a Nationwide, Multicenter, Prospective Longitudinal Study.

Purpose Cancer-related cognitive impairment is an important problem for patients with breast cancer, yet its trajectory is not fully understood. Some previous cancer-related cognitive impairment research is limited by heterogeneous populations, small samples, lack of prechemotherapy and longitudinal assessments, use of normative data, and lack of generalizability. We addressed these limitations in a large prospective, longitudinal, nationwide study. Patients and Methods Patients with breast cancer from community oncology clinics and age-matched noncancer controls completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) at prechemotherapy and postchemotherapy and at a 6-month follow-up as an a priori exploratory aim. Longitudinal models compared FACT-Cog scores between patients and controls at the three assessments and adjusted for age, education, race, menopausal status, and baseline reading ability, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. A minimal clinically important difference cutoff determined percentages of impairment over time. Results Of patients, 581 patients with breast cancer (mean age, 53 years; 48% anthracycline-based regimens) and 364 controls (mean age, 53 years) were assessed. Patients reported significantly greater cognitive difficulties on the FACT-Cog total score and four subscales from prechemotherapy to postchemotherapy compared with controls as well as from prechemotherapy to 6-month follow-up (all P < .001). Increased baseline anxiety, depression, and decreased cognitive reserve were significantly associated with lower FACT-Cog total scores. Treatment regimen, hormone, or radiation therapy was not significantly associated with FACT-Cog total scores in patients from postchemotherapy to 6-month follow-up. Patients were more likely to report a clinically significant decline in self-reported cognitive function than were controls from prechemotherapy to postchemotherapy (45.2% v 10.4%) and from prechemotherapy to 6-month follow-up (36.5% v 13.6%). Conclusion Patients with breast cancer who were treated in community oncology clinics report substantially more cognitive difficulties up to 6 months after treatment with chemotherapy than do age-matched noncancer controls.

Comorbidity in older adults with cancer

Comorbidity is an issue of growing importance due to changing demographics and the increasing number of adults over the age of 65 with cancer. The best approach to the clinical management and decision-making in older adults with comorbid conditions remains unclear. In May 2015, the Cancer and Aging Research Group, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute on Aging, met to discuss the design and implementation of intervention studies in older adults with cancer. A presentation and discussion on comorbidity measurement, interventions, and future research was included. In this article, we discuss the relevance of comorbidities in cancer, examine the commonly used tools to measure comorbidity, and discuss the future direction of comorbidity research. Incorporating standardized comorbidity measurement, relaxing clinical trial eligibility criteria, and utilizing novel trial designs are critical to developing a larger and more generalizable evidence base to guide the management of these patients. Creating or adapting comorbidity management strategies for use in older adults with cancer is necessary to define optimal care for this growing population.

Models of Care in Geriatric Oncology

The highest incidence of cancer occurs among older adults, and the approach to cancer treatment and supportive measures in this age group is continuously evolving. Incorporating geriatric assessment (GA) into the care of the older patient with cancer has been shown to be feasible and predictive of outcomes; there are unique aspects of the traditional geriatric domains that can be considered in this population. Geriatric assessment-guided interventions can also be developed to support patients during their treatment course. There are several existing models of incorporating geriatrics into oncology care, including a consultative geriatric assessment, a geriatrician “embedded” within an oncology clinic, and primary management by a dual-trained geriatric oncologist. Although the geriatric assessment is led by a geriatrician or geriatric oncologist, it is a true multidisciplinary assessment, and often includes evaluation by a physical therapist, occupational therapist, pharmacist, social worker, and nutritionist.

Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment in older patients with cancer

Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) can occur during or after chemotherapy and represents a concern for many patients with cancer. Among older patients with cancer, in whom there is little clinical trial evidence examining side effects like CRCI, many unanswered questions remain regarding risk for and resulting adverse outcomes from CRCI. Given the rising incidence of cancer with age, CRCI is of particular concern for older patients with cancer who receive treatment. Therefore, research related to CRCI in older patients with cancers is a high priority. In this manuscript, we discuss current gaps in research highlighting the lack of clinical studies of CRCI in older adults, the complex mechanisms of CRCI, and the challenges in measuring cognitive impairment in older patients with cancer. Although we focus on CRCI, we also discuss cognitive impairment related to cancer itself and other treatment modalities. We highlight several research priorities to improve the study of CRCI in older patients with cancer.

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment in Oncology

The incidence of cancer increases with advanced age and the majority of cancer deaths are in patients aged ≥ 65. The geriatric population is a heterogeneous group and a patients chronologic age does not always correlate with underlying physiologic status. Oncologists need to be able to obtain information on physiologic and functional capacity in older patients in order to provide safe and effective treatment recommendations. The Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is a compilation of validated tools that predict morbidity and mortality in community-dwelling older adults. The various components of the CGA have also been shown to influence clinical decision-making and predict outcomes in older cancer patients. The combined data from the CGA can be used to stratify patients into risk categories to better predict their tolerance to treatment and risk for chemotherapy toxicity. However, the CGA is a comprehensive tool requiring significant time and training to perform. A variety of screening tools have been developed which may be useful in the general oncology practice setting to identify patients that may benefit from further testing and intervention. This chapter will review the components and predictive value of CGA in older cancer patients, with emphasis on how CGA can practically be incorporated into clinical practice.

Improving the quality of survivorship for older adults with cancer.

In May 2015, the Cancer and Aging Research Group, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute on Aging through a U13 grant, convened a conference to identify research priorities to help design and implement intervention studies to improve the quality of life and survivorship of older, frailer adults with cancer. Conference attendees included researchers with multidisciplinary expertise and advocates. It was concluded that future intervention trials for older adults with cancer should: 1) rigorously test interventions to prevent the decline of or improve health status, especially interventions focused on optimizing physical performance, nutritional status, and cognition while undergoing cancer treatment; 2) use standardized care plans based on geriatric assessment findings to guide targeted interventions; and 3) incorporate the principles of geriatrics into survivorship care plans. Also highlighted was the need to integrate the expertise of interdisciplinary team members into geriatric oncology research, improve funding mechanisms to support geriatric oncology research, and disseminate high‐impact results to the research and clinical community. In conjunction with the 2 prior U13 meetings, this conference provided the framework for future research to improve the evidence base for the clinical care of older adults with cancer. Cancer 2016;122:2459–68.

Understanding cognition in older patients with cancer

Cancer and neurocognitive disorders, such as dementia and delirium, are common and serious diseases in the elderly that are accompanied by high degree of morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, evidence supports the under-diagnosis of both dementia and delirium in older adults. Complex questions exist regarding the interaction of dementia and delirium with cancer, beginning with guidelines on how best measure disease severity, the optimal screening test for either disorder, the appropriate level of intervention in the setting of abnormal findings, and strategies aimed at preventing the development or progression of either process. Ethical concerns emerge in the research setting, pertaining to the detection of cognitive dysfunction in participants, validity of consent, disclosure of abnormal results if screening is pursued, and recommended level of intervention by investigators. Furthermore, understanding the ways in which comorbid cognitive dysfunction and cancer impact both cancer and non-cancer-related outcomes is essential in guiding treatment decisions. In the following article, we will discuss what is presently known of the interactions of pre-existing cognitive impairment and delirium with cancer. We will also discuss identified deficits in our knowledge base, and propose ways in which innovative research may address these gaps.

Exercise Recommendations for the Management of Symptoms Clusters Resulting From Cancer and Cancer Treatments

OBJECTIVE To review existing exercise guidelines for cancer patients and survivors for the management of symptom clusters. DATA SOURCES Review of PubMed literature and published exercise guidelines. CONCLUSION Cancer and its treatments are responsible for a copious number of incapacitating symptoms that markedly impair quality of life. The exercise oncology literature provides consistent support for the safety and efficacy of exercise interventions in managing cancer- and treatment-related symptoms, as well as improving quality of life in cancer patients and survivors. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE Effective management of symptoms enhances recovery, resumption of normal life activities and quality of life for patients and survivors. Exercise is a safe, appropriate, and effective therapeutic option before, during, and after the completion of treatment for alleviating symptoms and symptom clusters.

Association of falls with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in older cancer survivors: A population based study

OBJECTIVE To examine the association between falls and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in older cancer survivors. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using the 2006-2011 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registry system and the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (SEER-MHOS) linkage database, a cross-sectional analysis was performed including 17,958 older cancer survivors. Multivariable regression models were used to evaluate the association of falls with HRQOL measured by the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores on the Veteran RAND 12-item health survey after controlling for demographic, health- and cancer-related factors. A longitudinal analysis using the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models was also conducted comparing changes in HRQOL of older cancer survivors who fell with HRQOL of older patients with cancer who did not fall. RESULTS In the cross-sectional analysis, 4524 (25%) cancer survivors who fell reported a significantly lower PCS (-2.18; SE=0.16) and MCS (2.00; SE=0.17) scores compared to those who did not (N=13,434). In the longitudinal analysis, after adjusting for baseline HRQOL scores and covariates, patients who fell reported a decline in mean HRQOL scores of both PCS (-1.54; SE=0.26) and MCS (-1.71; SE=0.27). Presence of depression, functional impairment and comorbidities was significantly associated with lower HRQOL scores. CONCLUSION Falls are associated with lower HRQOL scores and are associated with a significant prospective decline in HRQOL in older cancer survivors. Further research is necessary to determine if assessment and intervention programs can help improve HRQOL by reducing the likelihood of falls.

Associations between a patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure of sarcopenia and falls, functional status, and physical performance in older patients with cancer

OBJECTIVE In older patients with cancer, we aimed to investigate associations between a patient-reported outcome measure for sarcopenia (SarcoPRO) and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), self-reported falls, and limitations in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). MATERIALS AND METHODS Assessments were conducted as part of the initial evaluation of older, often frail, patients with cancer seen in the Specialized Oncology Care and Research in the Elderly (SOCARE) clinic. Univariate associations were evaluated using Spearmans correlation and Wilcoxon sign ranked tests. Logistic regressions were used to identify associations of clinical factors and SarcoPRO scores or SPPB scores with falls and IADL limitations. RESULTS In total, 174 older patients with cancer were evaluated. A moderate correlation was found between the SarcoPRO and the SPPB (ρ=0.62). After adjusting for multiple clinical factors, neither the SarcoPRO nor the SPPB were associated with falls. In contrast, both higher SarcoPRO (i.e., worse) and lower SPPB (i.e., worse) scores were associated with limitations in IADLs (odds ratio for one unit change in predictor: SarcoPRO: 1.06, p<0.0001; SPPB: 0.71, p=0.003, respectively). Models using the SarcoPRO and SPPB explained similar amounts of variability in association with IADL limitations (AUC: 0.88 vs. 0.87, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The SarcoPRO was moderately associated with the SPPB, an objective measure of physical performance, and was associated with limitations in IADLs. Thus, older patients with cancer who present with IADL limitations should be screened for sarcopenia. The SarcoPRO shows promise as a measure for screening as well as outcome assessment for research on sarcopenia.