title: Prospective study of falls and risk factors for falls in adults with advanced cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Retrospective studies of inpatients with cancer suggest that a cancer diagnosis confers a high risk of falls. In adults with advanced cancer, we aimed to prospectively document the incidence of falls, identify the risk factors, and determine if falls in this population occur predominantly in older patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients admitted consecutively to community and inpatient palliative care services with metastatic or locoregionally advanced cancer who were mobile without assistance were recruited. Risk-factor assessment was conducted on initial encounter. Patients underwent follow-up via weekly telephone contact for 6 months or until time of fall or death. Relationship between covariates and time to fall was examined using hazard ratios (HRs) derived from univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 185 participants (52.4% men; mean age 68 ± standard deviation of 12.6 years), 50.3% fell; 35 (53%) of 66 participants age < 65 years and 58 (48.7%) of 119 age ≥ 65 years fell; 61.3% of falls occurred in the community; 42% resulted in injury. Median time to fall was 96 days (95% CI, 64.66 to 127.34). Primary brain tumor or brain metastasis (HR 2.5; P = .002), number of falls in the preceding 3 months (HR, 1.27; P = .005), severity of depression (HR, 1.12; P = .012), benzodiazepine dose (HR, 1.05; P = .004), and cancer-related pain (HR, 1.96; P = .024) were independently associated with time to fall in multivariate analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fifty percent of adults with advanced cancer, regardless of age, will experience a fall associated with high risk of physical injury. There is a compelling need to assess the efficacy of assessment and management of modifiable fall risk factors in patients with advanced cancer.
authors.affiliation: Our Lady's Hospice and Care Services, Harold's Cross, Ireland. carolstone130@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Lawlor
authors.forename: George M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Savva
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Rose Anne
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kenny
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors