Geriatric Assessment: The Key to Optimal Care for Adult Seniors

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The essential ingredient in determining how to care for the geriatric oncology patient is the full assessment, aimed at maintaining quality of life, evaluating potential toxic risks, and carefully planning specific measures such as dosage adaptation.

The geriatric oncologist must be aware of other issues as well: the fact that, as a person ages, the body’s metabolism slows down, making effective cancer treatment for the elderly a challenge similar to that faced by the pediatric oncologist; the different stages of disease at which patients present and the chemo-sensitivity of the tumor; new drugs and treatment modalities; and, especially important, an awareness of the individual patient and his preference for active treatment.

According to many nutritionists, more than half of all elderly people suffer from some sort of malnutrition. This can be caused by the body’s slowing metabolism, by a loss of taste and thirst, poor absorption of nutrients, and especially dental issues, such as poor-fitting dentures that can make eating a painful chore.

Too few doctors, including regular oncologists, are ready or able to provide the expertise needed to deal with these issues of the elderly cancer patient. Geriatric oncologists know that only a team, including nutritionists, dentists, social workers, pain specialists, can accomplish the goal of seeing our patients gain functional improvement and symptom amelioration such that they can leave the hospital and, if possible, return home.