The Impact of Frailty on the Toxic Reaction of Chemotherapy in Patients With Cervical Cancer

Abstract

Background Longitudinal research on the impact of frailty on chemotherapy toxicity in patients with cervical cancer is limited. Objectives To explore the impact of frailty on chemotherapy toxicity in patients with cervical cancer. Methods Two hundred fifty-nine postoperative cervical cancer patients from a hospital located in Northwest China were enrolled between July 2020 and December 2021. Participating patients were followed up for 4 chemotherapy cycles after surgery. Frailty was measured using the Tilburg Frailty Indicator. Chemotherapy toxic reactions were evaluated using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events 4.0. Repeated-measures analysis of variance and Cox regression analysis were used to analyze the effect of frailty on chemotherapy toxicity. Results Cox regression analysis showed that frailty could serve as an independent risk factor for total toxicity (hazard ratio [HR], 5.423; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.260-9.023; P < .001), nausea (HR, 3.967; 95% CI, 2.446-6.433; P < .001), and vomiting (HR, 3.081; 95% CI, 1.921-4.942; P < .001). Repeated-measures analysis of variance showed that the white blood cell values of the frail group were lower than those of the nonfrail group (F group effect = 4.172, P = .043), and the hemoglobin values of the frail group were lower than those of the nonfrail group (F group effect = 6.589, P = .012). Conclusions Frailty can increase the risk of total chemotherapy toxicity, nausea, and vomiting. Frailty can reduce the white blood cell and hemoglobin values of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy cervical cancer patients. Implications for Practice Findings may assist healthcare providers in taking effective measures to reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy.