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- Title
Association Between Medication Use in Older Women with Early-Stage Operable Primary Breast Cancer and Decision Regarding Primary Treatment.
- Authors
Tse, Natalie; Parks, Ruth M; Holmes, Holly M; Cheung, Kwok-Leung
- Abstract
Background Polypharmacy is one factor contributing to increased mortality, hospitalization, and adverse drug reactions in older adults. The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence of polypharmacy in a cohort of older women with early-stage operable primary breast cancer and the relationship of polypharmacy to primary treatment decision and functional status. Methods A total of 139 patients with a new diagnosis of early-stage operable primary breast cancer proven histologically were recruited as part of a prospective study. The average age was 77 years. Assessment using a cancer-specific Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) tool was conducted within 6 weeks of diagnosis of breast cancer. Association was determined between number of medications and treatment decision and physical status as measured by the CGA outcomes. Additional analysis was performed to determine the associations above with polypharmacy defined by ≥5 daily medications, and if cardiovascular-related diseases have a role in the treatment decision. Results Polypharmacy was present in 48% of patients (n = 139). CGA determined that polypharmacy was associated with greater comorbidity (P <.001), reduced physical status rated by physicians (P =.009) and patients (P =.019), and reduced ability to perform activities of instrumental ADLs (P =.008). Similar findings were present in the analysis of cardiovascular-related diseases. Conclusions This work suggests that patients with polypharmacy are more likely to be frail. The number of medications could help us screen patients who should go on to receive full CGA.
- Subjects
MORTALITY risk factors; CARDIOVASCULAR diseases risk factors; POLYPHARMACY; FUNCTIONAL status; ACTIVITIES of daily living; RISK assessment; DISEASE prevalence; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; DECISION making in clinical medicine; DRUG side effects; BREAST tumors; LONGITUDINAL method; COMORBIDITY; OLD age
- Publication
Oncologist, 2023, Vol 28, Issue 3, pe128
- ISSN
1083-7159
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/oncolo/oyac278