Geriatric Assessment and Cancer Survival Prediction by the Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 Screening Tool: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
J Am Med Dir AssocAug 21, 2026 (epub)
Xintian Xu, Huifen Wang, Mengxing Tian et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 (VES-13) tool's diagnostic and prognostic value in cancer patients aged 65 and older. The analysis included 36 studies with 7,110 patients, revealing that high VES-13 scores significantly predicted poor overall survival (hazard ratio = 1.68, 95% CI, 1.53-1.84; p< .001) but did not predict progression-free survival.
Key findings
- Moderate diagnostic accuracy for CGA abnormalities with a diagnostic odds ratio of 1.93 (95% CI, 1.66-2.19).
- High VES-13 scores predicted poor overall survival with a hazard ratio of 1.68 (95% CI, 1.53-1.84; p< .001).
- Patients with high VES-13 scores had a pooled odds ratio of 4.29 for adverse events (95% CI, 1.39-13.23).
- High VES-13 scores were associated with a pooled odds ratio of 2.24 for dose reduction (95% CI, 1.15-4.37).
Why it matters
Understanding the prognostic implications of the VES-13 score can help clinicians identify older cancer patients at higher risk for adverse outcomes, potentially guiding treatment decisions and the need for comprehensive geriatric assessments.