Conclusions
The DAFI identified elderly patients with PC at risk of poor outcomes and can identify patients who can tolerate more aggressive treatments.
Methods
The DAFI, which assesses frailty based on biologic age, was used to identify frail patients using clinical and health-related quality-of-life data. The characteristics of frail and nonfrail patients were compared.
Results
Of 242 patients (median age, 75.5 years), 61.2% were frail and 32.6% had undergone pancreas resection (surgery group). Median overall survival (mOS) decreased in frail patients (7.13 months, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.65-10.1) compared with nonfrail patients (16.1 months, 95% CI: 11.47-34.40, p = 0.001). In the surgery group, mOS improved in the nonfrail patients (49.4%; 49.2 months, 95% CI: 29.3-79.9) compared with frail patients (50.6%, 22.1 months, 95% CI: 18.3-52.4, p = 0.10). In the no-surgery group, mOS was better in nonfrail patients (54%; 10.81 months, CI 7.85-16.03) compared with frail patients (66%; 5.45 months, 95% CI: 4.34-7.03, p = 0.02). Conclusions: The DAFI identified elderly patients with PC at risk of poor outcomes and can identify patients who can tolerate more aggressive treatments.