Georgia Baptist College of Nursing, Mercer University, Atlanta, Georgia 30360, USA.
Cancer. 2012 Dec 15;118(24):6171-8. doi: 10.1002/cncr.27656. Epub 2012 Jun 6.
The majority of cancer survivors are aged ≥ 65 years, yet, historically, cancer research has focused infrequently on older patients. The objective of this study was to examine predictors of physical function within a framework that integrates the gerontologic and oncologic needs of older cancer survivors.
Path analysis tested 759 women who were breast cancer survivors aged ≥ 70 years from the American Cancer Society Study of Cancer Survivors II to examine the cancer, aging, and personal characteristics that had an impact on symptoms and physical functioning.
High levels of symptom bother (β = -.42) and comorbidities (β = -.21) were strongly associated with lower physical function. Comorbidity and social support (β = .21) indirectly influenced symptom bother through emotional status (β = -.35). The model demonstrated good fit with the data (chi-square statistic, 50.6; adjusted chi-square statistic, 2.8; P < .001; goodness-of-fit index, .98; root mean square error of approximation, .049 [confidence interval, .03-.05]).
The current findings supported prior research indicating that the majority of older survivors of breast cancer are doing well, but there is a subset of survivors that requires ongoing attention to symptoms, comorbidities, emotional health, and social support to thrive after cancer treatment.
大多数癌症幸存者的年龄≥65 岁，但从历史上看，癌症研究很少关注老年患者。本研究的目的是在一个整合老年癌症幸存者的老年学和肿瘤学需求的框架内，研究身体功能的预测因素。
路径分析检验了来自美国癌症协会癌症幸存者研究 II 的 759 名年龄≥70 岁的乳腺癌幸存者，以研究对症状和身体功能有影响的癌症、衰老和个人特征。
高水平的症状困扰（β=-.42）和合并症（β=-.21）与较低的身体功能密切相关。合并症和社会支持（β=。21）通过情绪状态（β=-.35）间接影响症状困扰。该模型与数据拟合良好（卡方统计量，50.6；调整后的卡方统计量，2.8；P<.001；拟合优度指数，.98；均方根误差近似值，.049[置信区间，.03-.05]）。
目前的研究结果支持先前的研究，表明大多数老年乳腺癌幸存者恢复良好，但仍有一部分幸存者需要持续关注症状、合并症、情绪健康和社会支持，以在癌症治疗后茁壮成长。
