Functional trajectories before and after a new cancer diagnosis among community-living older adults.

Abstract

e21547 Background: We characterized distinct functional trajectories among older adults in the year before and after a new cancer diagnosis and identified factors associated with functional decline. Methods: Among a cohort study of persons 70+ y, we identified 170 participants (lung (15.7%), breast (12.4%), prostate (7.8%); 31.8% incurable at diagnosis)) with an incident cancer diagnosis from 1998-2014. We followed their functional course using 13 basic, instrumental, and mobility activities measured during monthly interviews. To identify functional trajectories, we fit a group-based trajectory model of the 13-item disability scale 12-months before and 12-months after the cancer diagnosis. Regression modeling determined predictors of functional decline, defined as a higher count on the 13-item disability scale. Results: Three pre-cancer functional trajectories were identified (mean age at diagnosis: 83 y (73-105 y); similarly, 3 post-cancer functional trajectories were identified among the 158 non-decedents. Participants with severe disability pre-diagnosis remained severely disabled post-diagnosis. Approximately 40% of participants with mild or moderate disability pre-diagnosis transitioned to a worse functional trajectory post-diagnosis (see Table). Moderate and severe disability pre-diagnosis were significantly associated with functional decline post-diagnosis (moderate vs. mild aRR: 3.10; 95% CI: 2.24-4.30; severe vs. mild aRR: 5.71; 95% CI: 3.60-9.07). Depressive symptoms (RR, 1.40; 95% CI: 1.02-1.91), and incurable stage (RR, 2.16; 95% CI: 1.54-3.03) were also associated with functional decline. Conclusions: Approximately 40% of older adults experienced functional decline after a new cancer diagnosis. Pre-cancer diagnosis functional trajectory, depressive symptoms, and incurable stage were significant predictors of post-diagnosis functional decline. [Table: see text]