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We need a geriatric assessment for oncologists

Nature Clinical Practice Oncology volume 3, pages 642–643 (2006)Cite this article

Cancer is a disease that disproportionately affects older individuals. Sixty percent of all cancers are diagnosed in patients over the age of 65, and 70% of cancer mortality occurs in this age group.1 As the US population ages, oncologists find themselves caring for a rapidly growing number of older patients with cancer; however, the current literature reports that older patients are less likely than younger patients to receive standard cancer treatments. This situation, in part, is because of concerns regarding the risks of treatment toxicity in older adults, and the limited data available from clinical trials to guide decision-making.2 Oncologists recognize the wide heterogeneity in tolerance to cancer therapy among older patients of the same chronological age, which makes it difficult to predict who can tolerate therapy without undue side effects and who is at risk for significant complications from treatment.

Oncologists require a tool that pinpoints an individual's functional age, as opposed to chronological age, in order to help guide treatment decisions regarding cancer therapy. A geriatric assessment may answer this need because it provides information about factors that independently predict morbidity and mortality in the geriatric population. The components of a geriatric assessment, described below, include functional assessment, comorbid medical conditions, nutritional status, cognitive function, psychological state, social support, and medication review.

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Acknowledgements

Dr Hurria's salary is supported by a Paul Beeson Career Development Award in Aging Research (K23 AG026749-01) and an American Society of Clinical Oncology–Association of Specialty Professors–Junior Development Award in Geriatric Oncology.

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  1. Director of the Cancer and Aging Research Program at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA

    Arti Hurria

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  1. Arti Hurria
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Correspondence to Arti Hurria.

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Hurria, A. We need a geriatric assessment for oncologists. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 3, 642–643 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncponc0662

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