Table 1.
Literature review of geriatric intervention programs
| First author | Study design | N | Population | Mean age | Intervention | Primary end-point | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bourdel-Marchasson [13] | Multicenter RCT* | 336 | Patients with solid tumor treated by chemotherapy at risk of malnutrition (17 ≤ MNA ≤ 23.5). | 78.0y | 3–6 months diet counselling intervention | 1-year mortality | - Early dietary counselling was efficient in increasing intake but had no beneficial effect on mortality. |
| Hempenius [10] | Multicenter RCT | 260 | Frail elderly patients undergoing elective surgery for a solid tumor | ≈77.5y | Geriatric liaison intervention | Postoperative delirium | - Intervention for frail elderly cancer patients receiving surgery to prevent post-operative delirium was not effective. |
| Demark-Wahnefried [34] | Multicenter international RCT (RENEW study) | 641 | Overweight long-term survivors (≥5 years) of colorectal, breast and prostate cancer | ≈73y | 12-month diet and exercise intervention via telephone counseling and print materials | Change in functional status (baseline/12-month and 24-month) Diet quality, BMI and physical activity |
- Significant change in functional status between intervention group and control group (p < 0.01): amelioration of functional decline in intervention group. Significant change in diet quality, physical activity and BMI (p < 0.01). |
| Morey [7] | Change in functional status (baseline/12 m) using the Medical Outcomes Study SF36 questionnaire, health-related QoL | - Significant change in physical function (p = 0.03) and QoL (p = 0.007) between groups. | |||||
| Lapid [35] | Subset geriatric analysis from stratified, two-group RCT | 33 | New advanced cancer diagnosis (5-year OS: 0–50 %) planned to receive radiotherapy | ≈72y | 4-week multidisciplinary QoL intervention | QoL measured with Spitzer uniscale and linear analogue self-assessment (LASA) at baseline and weeks 4, 8, and 27 | - Significant improvement in QoL (p < 0.05) at baseline, maintained at 4 and 8 weeks. |
| Rao [14] | Subset analysis from RCT [36] | 99 | Frail elderly cancer patients hospitalized on a medical or surgical ward (≥2 days) | ≈74y | Geriatric assessment and patient management by a geriatric attending physician and a social worker | 12-month survival and health-related QoL (after randomization), ADL, physical performance, health service utilization, and costs | - No significant effect on survival or QoL parameters. Positive effects of geriatric inpatient care on mental health and bodily pain (p < 0.05). Days of hospitalization and cost similar. |
| Goodwin [6] | Multicenter RCT | 335 | Older women (≥65y) newly (<2 months) diagnosed with breast cancer | ≈72y | 12-month nurse case management | Type and use of cancer-specific therapies received in the first 6 months after diagnosis. Patient satisfaction and arm function |
- More appropriate management for women receiving nurse case management (Breast-conserving surgery, adjuvant radiation, radiation therapy, axillary dissection and breast reconstruction surgery). Better arm function and higher satisfaction in intervention group. |
| McCorkle [15] | Single centerRCT | 375 | Old patients (≥60y) newly diagnosed with solid cancer | 60–92 | 4-week home-based case management by nurse | Length of survival | - Longer survival in intervention group than in usual care group (p = 0.001). Survival advantage for intervention group in late stage patients. |
| Galvao [8] | Two-arm single center RCT | 57 | Prostate cancer patient without bone metastases treated by AST (≥2 months) | ≈70y | 12-week progressive resistance and aerobic training (2/week) by an exercise physiologist | Muscle mass, strength, physical function, QoL | - Significant change in total body lean mass, muscle strength and endurance (p < 0.05). Change in QoL for general health (p = 0.022), vitality (p = 0.019) and physical health composite score (p = 0.02). |
*QoL quality of Life, RCT randomized controlled trial