Falls among Geriatric Cancer Patients: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prevalence and Risk Across Cancer Types

Falls represent a significant health concern among the older adults, particularly geriatric cancer patients, due to their increased susceptibility from both age-related and cancer treatment-related factors. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize global data on the prevalence and risk of falls in this population to inform targeted fall prevention strategies. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science up to October 2024. Articles were screened using Nested Knowledge software by two independent reviewers. Eligible studies included those involving geriatric cancer patients aged 60 years or older reporting on fall prevalence. Quality assessment was performed using a modified Newcastle–Ottawa Scale, and meta-analysis was conducted using random-effects models with R software. From 1,365 identified studies, 86 met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 180,974 participants. The pooled prevalence of falls was 24