Consistent with our previous review , several domains of GA are associated with adverse outcomes .
BACKGROUND Our previous systematic review of geriatric assessment ( GA ) in oncology included a literature search up to November 2010 .
However , the quickly evolving field warranted an up date .
Aims of this review : ( i ) provide an overview of all GA instruments developed and /or in use in the oncology setting ; ( ii ) evaluate effectiveness of GA in predicting/modifying outcomes ( e.g. treatment decision impact , treatment toxicity , mortality , use of care ) .
Lung cancer chemotherapy decisions in older patients: the role of patient preference and interactions with physicians
Purpose Lung cancer chemotherapy decisions in patients ≥70 years old are complex because of toxicity , comorbidity and the limited data on patient preferences . We examined the relationships between preferences and chemotherapy use in this group of patients . Methods and patients We used a question naire describing four hypothetical lung cancer treatment options .  Eighty-three elderly ( ≥70 years old ) lung cancer patients were informed about their diagnosis and therapeutic choices and then asked to choose one of the four options . Patients had previously been included in a prospect i ve study to explore geriatric evaluation in an oncology unit and all had given written informed consent . Results Older patients ( n=83 ) diagnosed with lung cancer ( non-small- and small-cell lung cancer ) from January 2006 to February 2008 were recruited from a single centre . The mean patient age was 77 years ( range : 70–91 ) . Eighty-one patients ( 97.6 % ) were men . Non-small-cell lung cancer ( NSCLC ) was the diagnosis in 63 patients ( 76 % ) . Most patients selected active treatment ( 38.6 % most survival benefit , 18 % less survival benefit ) and 31.3 % selected no active treatment . Elderly lung cancer patients were significantly more likely to accept aggressive treatments despite high reported toxicities . Although most of the patients were symptomatic at diagnosis , the “ symptom relief ” option was chosen less frequently than the options that could prolong survival . Factors significantly related to patients ’ attitude toward chemotherapy were age ( p<0.001 ) , frailty ( p=0.0039 ) , depression and poor performance status ( PS ) . Conclusion Elderly lung cancer patients want to be involved in the decision-making process . Survival was the main treatment objective for more than half of the patients in this study . We have not found other published studies about elderly lung cancer patients ’ decisions about chemotherapy
Consistent with our previous review , several domains of GA are associated with adverse outcomes .
BACKGROUND Our previous systematic review of geriatric assessment ( GA ) in oncology included a literature search up to November 2010 .
However , the quickly evolving field warranted an up date .
Aims of this review : ( i ) provide an overview of all GA instruments developed and /or in use in the oncology setting ; ( ii ) evaluate effectiveness of GA in predicting/modifying outcomes ( e.g. treatment decision impact , treatment toxicity , mortality , use of care ) .