Appropriate cancer therapy for the elderly ～implications of comprehensive geriatric assessment～

Abstract

The main causes of the need for care by the elderly are dementia, cerebrovascular disease (stroke), weakness due to old age, falls/fractures, and joint diseases. It is necessary to improve the quality of life of the aged by the medical treatment and the intervention of social resources, and at the same time, to reduce the enormous medical cost. In cancer treatment development,“extension of survival time” has been a goal. However, a large-scale survey has revealed that older people do not seek medical treatment for “extension of survival time.” Elderly people are vulnerable to various internal and external stresses, and are often followed by hospitalization, falls, decreased ADL, and death. Geriatric Assessment (GA) is recommended as a means for objectively grasping the physical, mental, social and economic problems of the elderly and leading them to intervention. GA is useful in recognizing hidden problems in elderly cancer patients, predicting adverse events and prognosis, and determining treatment policy. It is desirable that multidisciplinary teams collaborate based on the results of GA and lead to effective intervention.