Predictive Ability of the G8 Screening Test to Determine Probable Sarcopenia and Abnormal Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment in Older Patients with Solid Malignancies

Abstract Background: Pre-treatment evaluation for sarcopenia is recommended in cancer patients. We aimed to investigate whether the G8 screening test can detect probable sarcopenia and is valid and reliable compared to comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in Turkish older adults with solid cancers.Methods: We included solid cancer patients referred to a single center. Probable sarcopenia and abnormal CGA were defined as low handgrip strength and impairment in at least one of the CGA tests, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses evaluated the test’s predictive ability. Intra-rater and inter-rater reliabilities were assessed.Results: The median age of the 76 patients included was 72 (65–91) years. There was a moderate correlation between handgrip strength and the G8 test total score. The sensitivity and specificity of the G8 test to detect probable sarcopenia alone were 50% and 92%, respectively (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.747; p<0.001); to determine abnormal CGA plus probable sarcopenia were 93.33% and 86.89%, respectively (AUC: 0.939; p<0.001), and to detect abnormal CGA alone were 79.63% and 95.45%, respectively (AUC: 0.893; p<0.001). The G8 test results agreed with those of CGA (κ=0.638; p<0.001). Both inter- and intra-rater assessments of G8 scores revealed a strong agreement (Interclass correlation coefficient (ICC)=0.979, p<0.001 and ρ=0.994, p<0.001, respectively). Conclusions: The Turkish version of the G8 test is a good screening tool to detect probable sarcopenia alone and in conjunction with abnormal CGA in older patients with solid malignancies. The G8 screening tool may be useful in detecting probable sarcopenia in Turkish older adults with solid cancers.