Geriatric assessment  was most often completed to describe a patient 's health and functional status .
Geriatric assessment  in the oncology setting is feasible , and some domains are associated with adverse outcomes .
However , there is limited evidence that geriatric assessment impacted treatment decision making .
BACKGROUND Geriatric assessment is a multidisciplinary diagnostic process that evaluates the older adult 's medical , psychological , social , and functional capacity .
No systematic review of the use of geriatric assessment in oncology has been conducted .
The goals of this systematic review were : 1 ) to provide an overview of all geriatric assessment instruments used in the oncology setting ; 2 ) to examine the feasibility and psychometric properties of those instruments ; and 3 ) to systematic ally evaluate the effectiveness of geriatric assessment in predicting or modifying outcomes ( including the impact on treatment decision making , toxicity of treatment , and mortality ) .
A prospective, longitudinal study of the functional status and quality of life of older patients with breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVES To examine the toxicity experienced by a cohort of older women receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer and the longitudinal effect on their functional status and quality of life ( QOL ) . DESIGN A geriatric assessment measuring functional status , comorbidity , mood , nutritional status , and QOL was performed before chemotherapy , at the end of chemotherapy , and 6 months later . SETTING This prospect i ve longitudinal study was conducted at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center , New York , New York . PARTICIPANTS Fifty patients aged 65 and older with Stage I to III breast cancer receiving any adjuvant chemotherapy ; 49 were evaluable . MEASUREMENTS The chemotherapy regimen and the toxicity to chemotherapy were recorded . A  geriatric assessment  was performed before the start of chemotherapy , on completion of chemotherapy , and 6 months after completion of chemotherapy .  QOL testing was performed at the same times . RESULTS Patients ( mean age 68 , range 65 - 84 ) received an anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimen ( n=15 ) or cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 intravenously ( i.v . ) , methotrexate 40 mg/m2 i.v . , 5-fluorouracil 600 mg/m2 i.v . every 3 weeks for eight cycles ( n=34 ) . Grade 3 or 4 toxicity occurred in 53 % ( n=26 ) , hematological toxicity in 27 % ( n=13 ) , and nonhematological toxicity in 31 % ( n=15 ) . Despite toxicity , there was no significant longitudinal change in functional status or QOL . CONCLUSION Despite toxicity from adjuvant chemotherapy , this cohort of relatively young older patients maintained their functional status and QOL from before chemotherapy to 6 months postchemotherapy . Subtle changes in higher-order functioning would require assessment using different geriatric assessment tools
Geriatric assessment  was most often completed to describe a patient 's health and functional status .
Geriatric assessment  in the oncology setting is feasible , and some domains are associated with adverse outcomes .
However , there is limited evidence that geriatric assessment impacted treatment decision making .
BACKGROUND Geriatric assessment is a multidisciplinary diagnostic process that evaluates the older adult 's medical , psychological , social , and functional capacity .
No systematic review of the use of geriatric assessment in oncology has been conducted .
The goals of this systematic review were : 1 ) to provide an overview of all geriatric assessment instruments used in the oncology setting ; 2 ) to examine the feasibility and psychometric properties of those instruments ; and 3 ) to systematic ally evaluate the effectiveness of geriatric assessment in predicting or modifying outcomes ( including the impact on treatment decision making , toxicity of treatment , and mortality ) .