title: Association of cancer with geriatric syndromes in older Medicare beneficiaries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify whether a history of cancer is associated with specific geriatric syndromes in older patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS; Using the 2003 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, we analyzed a national sample of 12,480 community-based elders. Differences in prevalence of geriatric syndromes between those with and without cancer were estimated. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to evaluate whether cancer was independently associated with geriatric syndromes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two thousand three hundred forty-nine (18%) reported a history of cancer. Among those with cancer, 60.3% reported one or more geriatric syndromes as compared with 53.2% of those without cancer (P < .001). Those with cancer overall had a statistically significantly higher prevalence of hearing trouble, urinary incontinence, falls, depression, and osteoporosis than those without cancer. Adjusting for possible confounders, those with a history of cancer were more likely to experience depression (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.15; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.30; P = .023), falls (adjusted OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.32; P = .010), osteoporosis (adjusted OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.38; P = .004), hearing trouble (adjusted OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.52; P = .005), and urinary incontinence (adjusted OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.20 to 1.69; P < .001). Analysis of specific cancer subtypes showed that lung cancer was associated with vision, hearing, and eating trouble; prostate cancer was associated with incontinence and falls; cervical/uterine cancer was associated with falls and osteoporosis; and colon cancer was associated with depression and osteoporosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elderly patients with cancer experience a higher prevalence of geriatric syndromes than those without cancer. Prospective studies that establish the causal relationships between cancer and geriatric syndromes are necessary.
authors.affiliation: James P. Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA. supriya_mohile@urmc.rochester.edu
authors.forename: Supriya G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Mohile
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reeve
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jean-Pierre
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mustian
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peppone
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janelsins
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morrow
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dale
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D013577:Syndrome; D014481:United States; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology