Preoperative Frailty and Malnutrition Predict Adverse Outcomes in Surgical Oncology

Preoperative frailty and malnutrition in surgical oncology patients were found to be predictors of higher postoperative adverse events and worse survival in a blinded, prospective trial. Frail patients had a significantly higher likelihood of readmission within 30 and 90 days, as well as higher rates of unplanned intensive care unit admission and increased postoperative mortality. The study suggests that preoperative frailty assessment, along with nutrition markers, can help identify patients who would benefit from additional risk stratification and increased postoperative follow-up evaluation.