Frailty Trajectories and Their Association With Health Outcomes

Exploration of Frailty Trajectories and Their Association With Health Outcomes in Elderly Gastric Cancer Survivors Undergoing Radical Gastrectomy: a Prospective Longitudinal Observation Study

Frailty is common in gastric cancer survivors and seriously affects their prognosis. Multiple longitudinal follow-up assessment of frailty could provide a better understanding of the frailty change of individuals. Our aims were to identify the longitudinal trajectories of frailty and estimate their association with health outcomes in elderly gastric cancer survivors.

Our study suggested the significant heterogeneity in frailty trajectories among elderly gastric cancer survivors, and that different trajectories had different effects on health outcomes. Our results infer the necessity for prevention strategies in elderly gastric cancer survivors to manage heterogeneous frailty trajectories.

Inclusion Criteria:

• diagnosed with gastric cancer by endoscopy or pathology;
• received radical gastrectomy the first time;
• aged ≥60 years;
• been able to communicate simply in writing and verbal;
• completed the data collection of all follow-up points.

Exclusion Criteria:

• received radiotherapy or chemotherapy before surgery;
• had other sites of malignant tumors;
• complicated with severe heart, liver, lung and renal insufficiency;
• had physical disability.