Use of the comprehensive geriatric assessment for the prediction of postoperative complications in elderly patients with head and neck cancer.

Abstract

To determine the efficacy of preoperative Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) in predicting postoperative complications in elderly patients undergoing head and neck cancer surgery. Medical records of patients aged ≥70 who underwent elective head and neck cancer surgery were reviewed. CGA scores were prospectively collected prior to surgery and analyzed to determine their association with postoperative complications. Of the 65 patients enrolled in this study, 34 (52.3%) with deficits in two or more preoperative CGA domains were categorized as "frail." Fourteen patients (21.5%) experienced postoperative complications. Age was not a risk factor for the complications (p=0.504). The multivariate analysis indicated that major postoperative complications were significantly associated with frailty (odds ratio [OR]=21.9, p=0.039), operation time (OR=39, p=0.048), and estimated blood loss (OR=19.8, p=0.043). Frailty assessed by preoperative CGA, but not chronological age, was significantly associated with major postoperative complications in elderly patients undergoing head and neck cancer surgery.