Falls, walking or balance problems, and limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs) among older endometrial cancer survivors.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Functional status deficits are important quality of life concerns for older cancer survivors. We examined the prevalence of falls, walking/balance problems, and limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs) among older women with a history of endometrial cancer. METHODS: Cancer registry records from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program linked with Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (MHOS) data were used to identify endometrial cancer survivors aged ≥ 65 years who completed a survey ≥ 1 year after their cancer diagnosis (N = 3766), as well as an age- and race-matched group of women without a cancer history (N = 3766). We estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) to compare the prevalence of falls, walking or balance problems, and limitations in ADLs (bathing, dressing, eating, getting in/out of chairs, walking, using the toilet) between groups. RESULTS: Difficulty with walking or balance was more common among survivors than the noncancer group (43% vs 36%; PR = 1.19; 95% CI 1.10-1.27). Fall prevalence was similar between groups (endometrial cancer 25%; noncancer 26%; PR = 0.98; 95% CI 0.89-1.08). Nearly half of endometrial cancer survivors (47%) reported at least one ADL limitation, with several activities (getting in/out of a chair, walking, bathing, using the toilet) more often limited among survivors than among women without cancer. CONCLUSION: Functional impairments, especially problems with walking and/or balance, are common among older endometrial cancer survivors. Our results highlight the importance of addressing functional problems during the ongoing survivorship care of women with a history of endometrial cancer, with referral to rehabilitation or other relevant services when indicated.