Abstract

This study aims to identify the presence of frailty in elderly cancer patients by analysing their functional reserve. In order to do so, a prospective study of oncological patients over the age of 70 years, assessed on an outpatient basis at the Hospital Virgen de la Luz of Cuenca has been conducted, and data regarding functional reserve at various levels in the body have been collected: pulmonary function (peak-flow), cerebral function (cognitive assessment with the Pfeiffer Questionnaire), renal function (creatinine clearance rate test), and muscular function (grip strength, skeletal muscle mass index, and walking speed). These patients will be grouped into two blocks: patients treated with chemotherapy (Group A), and patients not receiving cytostatic drugs (Group B). After the final cycle of chemotherapy (calculated time of 4 months), we will analyse which parameters of physiological reserve will be affected more than 30%, thereby determining which parameters are more sensitive in order to define a frail patient, prior to initiating treatment with cytostatic drugs. This could help to predict if a stressful situation for the elderly patient, such as the administration of chemotherapy for example, could precipitate or accelerate the condition of frailty. Furthermore, we will analyse the efficiency of the VES-13 questionnaire, one of the most used questionnaires in the field of Oncogeriatrics, in the assessment of functional reserve. Patient enrolment will take place consecutively over 36 months (December 2009-December 2012), and survival analysis will be conducted in December 2014. We are preparing the post-study analysis.

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