Predictors of nursing home admission, severe functional impairment, or death one year after surgery for non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To assess factors associated with nursing home admission, severe functional impairment, or death 1 year after surgery for stage I-IIIa non-small cell lung cancer. BACKGROUND: Patients perceive long-term disability to be one of the most undesirable complications of lung cancer treatment. METHODS: A multiregional cohort was surveyed 12 months after surgery. Logistic regression was used to determine adjusted predictors of long-term disability. Recursive partitioning was used to create a risk index based on preoperative factors. RESULTS: Of the 1007 patients, 146 (15%) were admitted to a nursing home or died by 1 year after surgery, with higher risk among patients 80 years or older, those with severe comorbidities, and those with stage II-IIIa disease (all Ps ≤ 0.01). Among 759 survivors who completed the follow-up survey, 51 (7%) were admitted to a nursing home or reported inability to get out of bed, dress or wash themselves, or perform usual activities. Patients with moderate comorbidities (P < 0.001) or lack of high school diploma (P = 0.03) were more likely to experience nursing home admission or severe functional impairment. The risk of nursing home admission, severe functional impairment, or death was low (16%) for patients younger than 75 years and for those 75 years or older with stage I disease, intermediate (33%) for patients 75 years or older with stage II-IIIa disease and no or mild comorbidities, and high (60%) for those 75 years or older with stage II-IIIa disease and moderate or severe comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: Patients' risk of long-term disability should be incorporated in preoperative counseling.