Original Article
Attendance of older patients with bone metastases at a multidisciplinary bone metastases clinic: an 8-year experience
Abstract
Background: Bone metastases clinic (BMC) is a multidisciplinary clinic where patients with bony metastases are assessed in conjunction by orthopedic surgery, radiation oncology, interventional radiology, and palliative medicine teams. The objective of the study was to determine the number of older adult (OA) referrals made to BMC and to examine their case dispositions.
Methods: Patients who were referred to the BMC from 2007 to 2015 were included in the study. Demographic information including gender, age, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), primary cancer site and reason for referral, as well as case dispositions were recorded for each patient. The proportion of OA attendance was calculated for each year from the total number of patient visits. OA attendance was defined as individuals ≥65 years of age who attended the BMC, and non-OA patients were those <65 years of age. Descriptive statistics were employed.
Results: A total of 551 patients were included with a median age of 64 years. The median KPS was 70 for OA and 80 for non-OA patients. OA attendance ranged per year from 42.5% to 58.7%. 14.1% of non-OA and 10.9% of OA patients were offered surgery. 62 patients in both cohorts (22.6% of OA and 22.4% of non-OA patients) were offered palliative radiation.
Conclusions: From 2007 to 2015, OA patients comprised a significant proportion of referrals to the BMC. Younger patients were offered surgery slightly more often when compared to OA patients. Age did not appear to be a precluding factor for BMC referral or a deterrent in treatments offered.
Methods: Patients who were referred to the BMC from 2007 to 2015 were included in the study. Demographic information including gender, age, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), primary cancer site and reason for referral, as well as case dispositions were recorded for each patient. The proportion of OA attendance was calculated for each year from the total number of patient visits. OA attendance was defined as individuals ≥65 years of age who attended the BMC, and non-OA patients were those <65 years of age. Descriptive statistics were employed.
Results: A total of 551 patients were included with a median age of 64 years. The median KPS was 70 for OA and 80 for non-OA patients. OA attendance ranged per year from 42.5% to 58.7%. 14.1% of non-OA and 10.9% of OA patients were offered surgery. 62 patients in both cohorts (22.6% of OA and 22.4% of non-OA patients) were offered palliative radiation.
Conclusions: From 2007 to 2015, OA patients comprised a significant proportion of referrals to the BMC. Younger patients were offered surgery slightly more often when compared to OA patients. Age did not appear to be a precluding factor for BMC referral or a deterrent in treatments offered.
