RECOVERING the ability to walk after femoral fracture surgery may significantly improve survival outcomes in older adults with cancer, according to a new multicentre retrospective study.
Researchers analysed 146 patients aged 55 and older who underwent surgery for femoral metastasis. The majority (78.1%) regained their ability to walk postoperatively. Notably, the ability to walk again was independently associated with better one-year survival, with non-recovery increasing mortality risk by 85%.
The study differentiated between patients with impending fractures and those with complete pathological fractures (CF), the latter often leaving individuals bedridden prior to surgery. Among CF cases, those who recovered mobility had significantly shorter preoperative waiting periods. an average of 5.6 days compared to 7.9 days in non-recovered patients, highlighting the importance of timely surgical intervention.
Recovery was also linked to the likelihood of receiving postoperative chemotherapy: more than half of the recovered patients received chemotherapy compared to only a quarter of those who remained non-ambulatory. Interestingly, postoperative weight-bearing restrictions were not found to impact mobility outcomes.
“These findings underscore the need for prompt surgical response and coordinated postoperative care to optimise recovery and extend survival in this vulnerable population,” the authors concluded.
Clinicians are urged to prioritise rapid surgical scheduling for older patients with metastatic femoral fractures and support early rehabilitation pathways. Mobility, it seems, may not just improve quality of life, but also save lives.
Aleksandra Zurowska, EMJ
Reference
Ito K et al. Recovery of ambulation in older adults undergoing fracture surgery for femoral metastasis: a multicenter retrospective cohort study. Sci Rep. 2025;DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-01126-8.
