Vulnerability Tool Identifies Breast Cancer Survivors at Risk for Functional Decline

Article

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine explored the use of the Vulnerable Elders Survey (VES-13) in predicting functional decline and death within 1 year of breast cancer treatment.

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine explored the use of the Vulnerable Elders Survey (VES-13) in predicting functional decline and death within 1 year of breast cancer treatment.

The VES-13 has 13 questions about perceptions of health and ability to lift heavy objects, grasp small objects, write, walk a quarter of a mile, work around the house, go shopping, manage money, and perform other activities of independent living. Lower scores indicate higher reported levels of functioning, whereas higher scores suggest declining function.

Participants were aged 65 years or older with newly diagnosed stage I-III breast cancer. They completed the VES-13 at baseline prior to starting neoadjuvant/adjuvant treatment and again at 1 year.

In the group of 206 women enrolled in the study, 34 (22%) functionally declined, and 7 women died. The estimated risk of functional decline/death rose from 23% for women with a VES-13 score of 3 to 76% for those with a VES-13 score of 10.

Researchers concluded that the women with the highest scores on the VES-13 were most likely to experience decline; therefore, the VES-13 may have some clinical utility in identifying women at risk for functional decline. Study findings are available here.

Recent Videos
Image of a woman with a white shirt in front of an Oncology Nursing News branded backdrop
Photo of a man with glasses in a suit in front of an Oncology Nursing News backdrop
Image of Jessie Desir, PhD, RN, AMB-BC, OCN, in a video call with a blue and gold Oncology Nursing News border surrounding the frame.
Image of a woman with glasses wearing a striped blouse and a black sweater in front of an Oncology Nursing News branded backdrop
Photo of Jamie Carroll, APRN, CNP, MSN, from a video call with an Oncology Nursing News branded border around the frame
Image of Kayle Freeman, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, in a video call with an Oncology Nursing News border around the frame
Image of Jessie Desir, PhD, RN, AMB-BC, OCN, in a video call with a blue and gold Oncology Nursing News border surrounding the frame.
Image of Pattie Jakel, MN, RN, AOCN, in front of a blue watercolor Oncology Nursing News backdrop
Image of Jessie Desir, PhD, RN, AMB-BC, OCN, in a video call with a blue and gold Oncology Nursing News border surrounding the frame.
Medium closeup shot of a women in front of a dark blue background with graphics that read "All in Against Cancer" and "Ochsner Health"