Advances in Geriatric Oncology: Exploring Practical Ways to Optimize Treatment in Older Patients with Cancer

Abstract

Cancer is a disease associated with aging, with patients over 70 accounting for 50% of newly diagnosed malignancies and 70% of all cancer deaths. Despite this epidemiologic context, older patients with cancer continue to be underrepresented in clinical trials which are necessary to establish new standards of cancer care. [...]

Understanding Treatment Tolerability in Older Adults With Cancer

“…In 2017, a Geriatric Core Dataset was developed with 42 international experts using Delphi consensus methodology, defining a core set of geriatric data to be methodically collected in cancer clinical trials of older adults to enable comparison across trials. 31 The tools proposed for Geriatric Core Dataset included: (1) function: activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL), (2) comorbidity: updated Charlson Comorbidity Index, (3) mobility: Timed Up and Go, (4) cognition: mini-Cog, (5) nutrition: weight loss and body mass index, (6) mood: short Geriatric Depression Scale, and (7) social support: living alone versus support at home. In the United States, the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology has advocated for a standardized geriatric assessment in therapeutic trials enrolling older adults.…”

Geriatric screening and frailty intervention in older patients with cancer

“…Der er via en Delphi-proces opnået enighed om, at flg. kernedomaener som minimum bør inkluderes i en onkogeriatrisk CGA: polyfarmaci, komorbiditet, funktionsevne og muskelstyrke, ernaering, kognition og depression samt socialt netvaerk [20]. For at øge sammenligneligheden mellem danske onkogeriatriske studier og på sigt kunne gennemføre metaanalyser på tvaers af studierne, anbefaler Danish Comprehensive Cancer Center -Dansk Onkogeriatrisk Netvaerk (DCCC-AGE) et minimum af domaener og screeningsvaerktøjer, der bør anvendes til karakterisering af en studiepopulation (Figur 1 Figur 1).…”

Prevalence of comorbidities and their impact on survival among older adults with the five most common cancers in Taiwan: a population study

“…Because of worldwide population aging, the increasing number of older patients with cancer, the high prevalence of comorbidity among older patients with cancer, and the low inclusion rates of older patients in clinical trials, oncological practice among older patients is challenging and needs improvement [1][2][3][4] . Comorbidities can affect treatment decisions and outcomes.…”