Predictors of physical functioning among geriatric patients with small cell or non-small cell lung cancer 3 months after diagnosis

This study investigated how treatment options, symptom severity, prediagnos is levels of physical functioning, comorbidity, gender, and age predicted c urrent physical functioning in geriatric patients with small-cell or non-sm all-cell lung cancer, 12 weeks after their diagnosis. The study involved 14 6 patients aged 65 years and over with an incident diagnosis of lung cancer . Analysis of covariance revealed no significant differences in physical fu nctioning according to treatment type, small-cell versus non-small-cell cla ssification or gender, Significant predictors of current physical functioni ng were symptom severity and prior physical functioning. The characteristic s of a high-risk profile for disruption in physical functioning of elderly lung cancer patients 12 weeks after their diagnosis would include preexisti ng physical impairment and high levels of symptomatology.