Frailty at Older AdultsNCT07605936
Frailty in Older Adults With Prostate Cancer: a Prospective Cohort Study
An observational study of Frailty at Older Adults and Prostate Cancer, run by University of Limerick at 1 site in Ireland.
Trial summary
Prostate cancer is the most common solid tumour cancer amongst men in Ireland, with almost 4,000 new cases diagnosed annually and a median age at diagnosis of 67 years. The incidence of frailty amongst cancer patients is high. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 65 years and older, men only
- Conditions the study is for
- Frailty at Older Adults, Prostate Cancer
- How many people
- 80 participants
- Where
- 1 siteIreland
- Study dates
- 23 Apr 2026to Nov 2027
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 65 years and older
- Men only
- No healthy volunteers
- Older adult
Study population: All adults ≥ 65 years old with prostate attending outpatient clinics at the Mid-Western Cancer Centre between April 2026 and April 2027 (inclusive) will be considered eligible for participation in the study.
Who may be able to join
- adults aged ≥65 years with a diagnosis of prostate cancer
Who cannot join
- Neither the patient nor the carer has sufficient proficiency in English sufficiently to complete consent or baseline assessment
- Patients will be excluded if they present outside of research nurse (RN) operational hours( 8am and 5pm Monday - Friday).
- Patients who are acutely unwell and unable to answer the questionnaire will also be excluded.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Ireland1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University Hospital Limerick
Limerick, Munster, V94 F858
Niamh Peters Dr
About this study
Official title: A Prospective Cohort Study to Assess Frailty, Healthcare Needs and Health Related Quality of Life in Patients With a Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common solid tumour cancer amongst men in Ireland, with almost 4,000 new cases diagnosed annually and a median age at diagnosis of 67 years. The incidence of frailty amongst cancer patients is high. Among patients undergoing systemic anti-cancer therapy, frailty increases the risk of treatment related toxicity, hospitalisation, and death and is associated with a poorer quality of life.
This study aims to describe the demographic, clinical and frailty characteristics of men living with prostate cancer in the Mid-West of Ireland. In addition, we will assess the predictive accuracy of three frailty screening tools currently used in Irish clinical practice,G8, CFS and PRISMA 7, for predicting poorer outcomes at baseline, 6 and 12 months.
Read the detailed description
Prostate cancer is the most common solid tumour cancer amongst men in Ireland, with almost 4,000 new cases diagnosed annually and a median age at diagnosis of 67 years. Whilst most men present with loco regional disease, 5-10% of men have metastatic disease at diagnosis and others develop metastatic disease later in life.
Frailty, a biologic syndrome of decreased reserve and resistance to stressors, resulting from cumulative declines across multiple physiologic systems, and causing vulnerability to adverse outcomes is also associated with increasing age. Both cancer and systemic anticancer therapies can act as significant stressors to the physiological reserve of patients and as a result, the incidence of frailty amongst older cancer patients is high. Among patients undergoing systemic anti-cancer therapy, frailty increases the risk of treatment related toxicity, hospitalisation, and death and is associated with a poorer quality of life.
The prevalence of frailty amongst men with prostate cancer appears to correlate to the extent of disease with the highest prevalence of frailty present in those with advanced metastatic disease. Treatment paradigms for advanced prostate cancer have evolved substantially, with early treatment intensification now considered the standard of care due to demonstrated overall survival benefits. However, treatment intensification, is associated with increased risk of toxicity and therefore poses a concern given the higher risk of competing mortality and morbidity amongst frail patients.
Functional status in oncology practice is predominantly assessed using the The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status Score or Karnofsky performance status which guide treatment decisions and predict treatment toxicity and overall survival .The limitations of these measures in the assessment of a heterogeneous population such as older adults, has been recognised. As such, it is recommended that a frailty assessment is undertaken for older patients and embedded into the decision-making regarding a patient's suitability for systemic anticancer therapy
A variety of frailty identification tools have been utilised in the oncology setting including: Clinical Frailty Score (CFS) , Geriatric 8 screening tool (G8) , Fried Frailty Phenotype and Vulnerable Elders Survey 13 (VES13) , with the G8 and VES being the most frequently used. Lower G8 scores have been associated with poorer oncological outcomes in older cancer patients while VES may demonstrate higher specificity for frailty prediction than G8 (as assessed by GCA). Although recommended and utilised clinically, frailty screening tools have yet to be validated for tailoring final anticancer treatment or frailty intervention plans.
This study aims to describe the demographic, clinical and frailty characteristics of men living with prostate cancer in the Mid-West of Ireland. Participants will be followed longitudinally over 12 months. In addition, we will assess the predictive accuracy of three frailty screening tools currently used in Irish clinical practice,G8, CFS and PRISMA 7, for predicting adverse outcomes at baseline, 6 and 12 months. The findings will provide important real-world insights into frailty, treatment practices, and patient-centred outcomes in prostate cancer, and may help inform future screening strategies and intervention studies
- Conditions
- Frailty at Older Adults, Prostate Cancer
- Keywords
- frailty, older adults, prostate cancer
- Medical subject headings
- Prostatic Neoplasms, Frailty
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Functional status
Patient global functioning as measured through the Barthel Index of Activities of Daily Living.
The Barthel Index is a 10-item scale used to assess functional independence. The scoring varies across items:
bowels, bladder, toilet use, feeding, dressing, and stairs are scored from from 0 (dependence or inability) to 2 (independence) grooming and bathing are scored either 0 (dependent or needs help) or 1 (independent) transfer and mobility are scored 0 (dependent), 1 (major help), 2 (minor help), or 3 (independent).
The total score ranges from 0 to 20 and it is obtained by adding up the scores of each item. Lower scores indicated increased disability. In case of rehabilitation, changes of more than two points in the total score reflect a probable genuine change, and change on one item from fully dependent to independent is also likely to be reliable.
Measured: Baseline, six months and twelve months after index visit
Secondary outcomes (3)
Patient quality of life
Quality of life assessed through the EuroQoL-5D-5L (EQ-5D-5L). The EQ-5D-5L is a standardised instrument developed by the EuroQoL Group (https://euroqol.org/euroqol/) to measure health-related quality of life.
It includes a descriptive questionnaire assessing 5 dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression) with 5 levels of self-rated severity (1 = no problems, 2 = slight problems, 3 = moderate problems, 4 = severe problems, and 5 = extreme problems). Each dimension is scored separately from 0 to 5 and the patient's "health state" is coded as a 5-digit string.
It also includes a vertical visual analogue scale (VAS) to record the patient's self-rated health on a scale from 0 (worst health) to 100 (best health). The score assigned by the patient represents the self-reported level of health.
Measured: Baseline, Six months and twelve months after index visit.
Incidence of healthcare utilisation
Percentages of patients who visit a general practitioner (GP), a public health nurse, outpatient departments, private consultations, home help, or allied health services after the ED index visit
Measured: six months and 12 months following index visit
Mortality
The rates of patients deceased will be captured at follow-up
Measured: six months and 12 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted26 May 2026
- Study start23 Apr 2026
- Primary completionNov 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionNov 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Frailty at Older AdultsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Limerick
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07605936
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 020/2024
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 18 May 2026
- Last updated
- 26 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 26 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Prospective Cohort Study to Assess Frailty, Healthcare Needs and Health Related Quality of Life in Patients With a Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07605936
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 020/2024
- Conditions
- Frailty at Older Adults, Prostate Cancer
- Keywords
- frailty, older adults, prostate cancer
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of LimerickUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 23 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Nov 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Nov 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 26 May 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Prostate cancer is the most common solid tumour cancer amongst men in Ireland, with almost 4,000 new cases diagnosed annually and a median age at diagnosis of 67 years. The incidence of frailty amongst cancer patients is high. Among patients undergoing systemic anti-cancer therapy, frailty increases the risk of treatment related toxicity, hospitalisation, and death and is associated with a poorer quality of life.
This study aims to describe the demographic, clinical and frailty characteristics of men living with prostate cancer in the Mid-West of Ireland. In addition, we will assess the predictive accuracy of three frailty screening tools currently used in Irish clinical practice,G8, CFS and PRISMA 7, for predicting poorer outcomes at baseline, 6 and 12 months.
Detailed description
Prostate cancer is the most common solid tumour cancer amongst men in Ireland, with almost 4,000 new cases diagnosed annually and a median age at diagnosis of 67 years. Whilst most men present with loco regional disease, 5-10% of men have metastatic disease at diagnosis and others develop metastatic disease later in life.
Frailty, a biologic syndrome of decreased reserve and resistance to stressors, resulting from cumulative declines across multiple physiologic systems, and causing vulnerability to adverse outcomes is also associated with increasing age. Both cancer and systemic anticancer therapies can act as significant stressors to the physiological reserve of patients and as a result, the incidence of frailty amongst older cancer patients is high. Among patients undergoing systemic anti-cancer therapy, frailty increases the risk of treatment related toxicity, hospitalisation, and death and is associated with a poorer quality of life.
The prevalence of frailty amongst men with prostate cancer appears to correlate to the extent of disease with the highest prevalence of frailty present in those with advanced metastatic disease. Treatment paradigms for advanced prostate cancer have evolved substantially, with early treatment intensification now considered the standard of care due to demonstrated overall survival benefits. However, treatment intensification, is associated with increased risk of toxicity and therefore poses a concern given the higher risk of competing mortality and morbidity amongst frail patients.
Functional status in oncology practice is predominantly assessed using the The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status Score or Karnofsky performance status which guide treatment decisions and predict treatment toxicity and overall survival .The limitations of these measures in the assessment of a heterogeneous population such as older adults, has been recognised. As such, it is recommended that a frailty assessment is undertaken for older patients and embedded into the decision-making regarding a patient's suitability for systemic anticancer therapy
A variety of frailty identification tools have been utilised in the oncology setting including: Clinical Frailty Score (CFS) , Geriatric 8 screening tool (G8) , Fried Frailty Phenotype and Vulnerable Elders Survey 13 (VES13) , with the G8 and VES being the most frequently used. Lower G8 scores have been associated with poorer oncological outcomes in older cancer patients while VES may demonstrate higher specificity for frailty prediction than G8 (as assessed by GCA). Although recommended and utilised clinically, frailty screening tools have yet to be validated for tailoring final anticancer treatment or frailty intervention plans.
This study aims to describe the demographic, clinical and frailty characteristics of men living with prostate cancer in the Mid-West of Ireland. Participants will be followed longitudinally over 12 months. In addition, we will assess the predictive accuracy of three frailty screening tools currently used in Irish clinical practice,G8, CFS and PRISMA 7, for predicting adverse outcomes at baseline, 6 and 12 months. The findings will provide important real-world insights into frailty, treatment practices, and patient-centred outcomes in prostate cancer, and may help inform future screening strategies and intervention studies
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 65 years and older
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Older adult
- Study population
- All adults ≥ 65 years old with prostate attending outpatient clinics at the Mid-Western Cancer Centre between April 2026 and April 2027 (inclusive) will be considered eligible for participation in the study.
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- adults aged ≥65 years with a diagnosis of prostate cancer
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Neither the patient nor the carer has sufficient proficiency in English sufficiently to complete consent or baseline assessment
- Patients will be excluded if they present outside of research nurse (RN) operational hours( 8am and 5pm Monday - Friday).
- Patients who are acutely unwell and unable to answer the questionnaire will also be excluded.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Functional status
Time frame: Baseline, six months and twelve months after index visit
Patient global functioning as measured through the Barthel Index of Activities of Daily Living. The Barthel Index is a 10-item scale used to assess functional independence. The scoring varies across items: bowels, bladder, toilet use, feeding, dressing, and stairs are scored from from 0 (dependence or inability) to 2 (independence) grooming and bathing are scored either 0 (dependent or needs help) or 1 (independent) transfer and mobility are scored 0 (dependent), 1 (major help), 2 (minor help), or 3 (independent). The total score ranges from 0 to 20 and it is obtained by adding up the scores of each item. Lower scores indicated increased disability. In case of rehabilitation, changes of more than two points in the total score reflect a probable genuine change, and change on one item from fully dependent to independent is also likely to be reliable.
3 secondary outcomes
Patient quality of life
Time frame: Baseline, Six months and twelve months after index visit.
Incidence of healthcare utilisation
Time frame: six months and 12 months following index visit
Mortality
Time frame: six months and 12 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 26 May 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Frailty at Older Adults and Prostate Cancer, run by University of Limerick at 1 site in Ireland.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 26 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Ireland. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Niamh Peters (0035361482900, niamh.peters@hse.ie), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Functional status (time frame: Baseline, six months and twelve months after index visit). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 26 May 2026.