Modified frailty index predicts postoperative complications in women with gynecologic cancer undergoing cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy

To evaluate the impact of frailty on postoperative complications following cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intra-peritoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in women with advanced or recurrent gynecologic cancer.An IRB-approved single-institution prospective registry was queried for women who underwent CRS with HIPEC for advanced or recurrent gynecologic cancer from 1/1/2014-12/31/2020. Frailty was defined as a modified Frailty Index (mFI) score of ≥2. Logistic regression was used to assess the impact of mFI upon the rate of moderate or higher (≥ grade 2) Accordion postoperative complications.Of 141 women, 81.6% (n = 115) were non-frail with mFI of 0-1 and 18.4% (n = 26) were frail with mFI ≥2. The incidence of ≥ grade 2 complications was 21.2% (n = 14) for mFI = 0, 26.5% (n = 13) for mFI = 1, 64.7% (n = 11) for mFI = 2 and 100.0% (n = 9) for patients with mFI ≥3. The incidence of re-operation (1.7% vs. 11.5%, p = 0.044), ICU admission (13.2% vs. 34.6%, p = 0.018), acute kidney injury (6.3% vs. 30.8%, p = 0.001), and respiratory failure (0.9% vs. 19.2%, p < 0.001) were significantly lower amongst non-frail vs. frail women. On multivariable analysis, mFI ≥2 was associated with significantly increased ≥ grade 2 complications versus mFI of 0-1 (OR 9.4, 95% CI 3.3, 26.4, p < 0.001). Age (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00, 1.09, p = 0.07), surgical indication (recurrent vs. primary) (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.30, 1.7, p = 0.44) and Surgical Complexity Score of Intermediate or High vs. Low (OR 1.5, 95% CI 0.67, 3.5, p = 0.31) were not associated with ≥grade 2 complications.Frailty, defined by the modified frailty index, is predictive of ≥grade 2 postoperative complications following CRS with HIPEC in women with gynecologic cancer. Frailty screening before CRS with HIPEC may assist patient selection and improve postoperative outcomes.