Loss of physical functioning among geriatric cancer patients: relationships to cancer site, treatment, comorbidity and age

This study investigated differences in physical functioning and physical role limitations according to cancer site and treatment modality in a sample of 590 patients 65 years and older diagnosed with breast, colon, lung or prostate cancer. Analysis of covariance procedures were utilised to test for differences in levels of physical functioning and physical role limitations according to cancer site and treatment modality, adjusting for differences in age, comorbid conditions and retrospective physical functioning. Physical functioning and physical role limitations were measured using two subscales of the Medical Outcomes Studies MOS 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Physical functioning prior to diagnosis, and to a lesser degree comorbidity, contributed significantly to current levels of physical functioning and physical role limitations. Patients with lung cancer reported lower physical functioning and physical role limitation scores than patients with prostate cancer, and patients treated with surgery only reported lower physical functioning and physical role limitation scores than patients treated with neither surgery nor radiation. No gender differences were observed among the reduced sample consisting of patients with colon or lung cancer. It is important not only that physicians and oncologists are cognizant of the fact that some cancers (particularly lung cancer) may be more physically debilitating than others, but that the patient's history of comorbid conditions and pre-existing physical limitations may be important factors in predicting current physical functioning.