Patient assessment and feasibility of treatment in older patients with cancer: : results from the IN-GHO ® Registry

Purpose: Predicting feasibility of treatment in older patients with cancer is a major clinical task. The Initiative Geriatrische Hämatologie und Onkologie (IN-GHO ® ) registry prospectively collected data on the comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA), physician’s and patient’s-self assessment of fitness for treatment, and the course of treatment in patients within a treatment decision aged ≥ 70 years.

Patients and methods: The registry included 3169 patients from 93 centres and evaluated clinical course and treatment outcomes 2–3 and 6 months after initial assessment. Fitness for treatment was classified as fit, compromised and frail according to results of a CGA, and in addition by an experienced physician’s and by patient’s itself. Feasibility of treatment (termed IN-GHO ® -FIT) was defined as a composite endpoint, including willingness to undergo the same treatment again in retrospect, no modification or unplanned termination of treatment, and no early mortality (within 90 days).

Results: CGA classified 30.0% as fit, 35.8% as compromised, and 34.2% as frail. Physician’s and patient’s-self assessment classified 61.8%/52.3% as fit, 34.2%/42.4% as compromised, and 3.9%/5.3%, as frail, respectively. Survival status at day 180 was available in 2072 patients, of which 625 (30.2%) had died. After 2–3 months, feasibility of treatment could be assessed in 1984 patients. 62.8% fulfilled IN-GHO ® -FIT criteria. Multivariable analysis identified physician’s assessment as the single most important item regarding feasibility of treatment.

Conclusion: Geriatricians were involved in 2% of patients only. Classification of fitness for treatment by CGA, and physician’s or patient’s-self assessment showed marked discrepancies. For the prediction of feasibility of treatment no single item was superior to physician’s assessment. However CGA was not performed by trained geriatricians.