Geriatric Oncology

This chapter provides answers to practice-based questions with case studies covering the new principles of diagnosis, classification, staging, treatment, and outcomes in the rapidly advancing field of geriatric oncology. Age is perhaps the most significant risk factor for cancer incidence. With increased longevity of the population, early detection, and more effective therapies, the number of older cancer patients and survivors will continue to rise. A multi-domain assessment of geriatric syndromes by comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) can predict functional decline, morbidity, and mortality in older adults receiving anticancer therapy. The CGA has also been shown to be predictive of chemotherapy-related toxicity and prognosis. The chapter reviews geriatric oncology principles that every clinician caring for older adults with cancer should know and implement in their clinical practice to enhance and personalize care for this vulnerable group of patients.