Older people with cancer (aged 70 years or older)

Older people with cancer (aged 70 years or older)

 

Planning and delivering appropriate cancer care for older people presents a number of challenges. Improved communication between the fields of oncology and geriatrics facilitates best practice care that takes into account physiological age, complex comorbidities, risk of adverse events and drug interactions, as well as implications of cognitive impairment on suitability of treatment and consent (Steer et al. 2009).

A national interdisciplinary workshop convened by the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) recommended that people over the age of 70 undergo some form of geriatric assessment in line with international guidelines (COSA 2013). Assessment can be used to determine life expectancy and treatment tolerance as well as identifying conditions that might interfere with treatment including:

  • cognition
  • comorbidity
  • emotional status
  • function
  • nutrition
  • polypharmacy
  • presence of geriatric syndromes
  • social supports.

Guided intervention using aged care services is appropriate.