Prevalence and prognostic impact of cachexia among older patients with cancer: a nationwide cross‐sectional survey (NutriAgeCancer)

• Published in: Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle sarcopenia and muscle, 2021-12, Vol.12 (6), p.1477-1488
• Main Authors: Poisson, Johanne, Martinez‐Tapia, Claudia, Heitz, Damien, Geiss, Romain, Albrand, Gilles, Falandry, Claire, Gisselbrecht, Mathilde, Couderc, Anne‐Laure, Boulahssass, Rabia, Liuu, Evelyne, Boudou‐Rouquette, Pascaline, Chah Wakilian, Anne, Gaxatte, Cedric, Pamoukdjian, Fréderic, Decker, Laure, Antoine, Valery, Cattenoz, Catherine, Solem‐Laviec, Heidi, Guillem, Olivier, Medjenah, Hayat, Natella, Pierre André, Canouï‐Poitrine, Florence, Laurent, Marie, Paillaud, Elena
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of daily living; Age; Aged; Body mass index; Cachexia; Cachexia - epidemiology; Cachexia - etiology; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Colorectal cancer; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dental health; Elderly; Food and Nutrition; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms; Geriatrics; Humans; Life Sciences; Liver cancer; Male; Malnutrition; Mobility; Mortality; Nutritional status; Nutritional support; Oncology; Original; Pancreatic cancer; Patients; Polypharmacy; Prevalence; Prognosis; Prognostic value; Questionnaires; Risk factors; Santé publique et épidémiologie; Sarcopenia; Screening
• ISSN: 2190-5991; 2190-6009
• DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.12776

Background Nutritional impairment is common in cancer patients and is associated with poor outcomes. Only few studies focused on cachexia. We assessed the prevalence of cachexia in older cancer patients, identified associated risk factors, and evaluated its impact on 6 month overall mortality. Methods A French nationwide cross‐sectional survey (performed in 55 geriatric oncology clinics) of older cancer patients aged ≥70 referred for geriatric assessment prior to treatment choice and initiation. Demographic, clinical, and nutritional data were collected. The first outcome was cachexia, defined as loss of more than 5% of bodyweight over the previous 6 months, or a body mass index below 20 kg/m2 with weight loss of more than 2%, or sarcopenia (an impaired Strength, Assistance with walking, Rise from chair, Climb stairs and Falls score) with weight loss of more than 2%. The second outcome was 6 month overall mortality. Results Of the 1030 patients included in the analysis [median age (interquartile range): 83 (79–87); males: 48%; metastatic cancer: 42%; main cancer sites: digestive tract (29%) and breast (16%)], 534 [52% (95% confidence interval: 49–55%)] had cachexia. In the multivariate analysis, patients with breast (P