Challenges in Geriatric Oncology—A Surgeon’s Perspective
As our global population ages, we will see more cancer diagnoses in older adults. Surgery is an important treatment modality for solid tumours, forming the majority of all cancers. However, the management of older adults with cancer can be more complex compared to their younger counterparts. This na...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Current Oncology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/29/2/58 |
| _version_ | 1827655831084072960 |
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| author | Ruth Parks Kwok-Leung Cheung |
| author_facet | Ruth Parks Kwok-Leung Cheung |
| author_sort | Ruth Parks |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As our global population ages, we will see more cancer diagnoses in older adults. Surgery is an important treatment modality for solid tumours, forming the majority of all cancers. However, the management of older adults with cancer can be more complex compared to their younger counterparts. This narrative review will outline the current challenges facing older adults with cancer and potential solutions. The challenges facing older adults with cancer are complex and include lack of high-level clinical trials targeting older adults and selection of the right patient for surgery. This may be standard surgical treatment, minimally invasive surgery or alternative therapies (no surgery) which can be local or systemic. The next challenge is to identify the individual patient’s vulnerabilities to allow them to be maximally optimised for treatment. Prehabilitation has been shown to be of benefit in some cancer settings but uniform guidance across all surgical specialties is required. Greater awareness of geriatric conditions amongst surgical oncologists and integration of geriatric assessment into a surgical clinic are potential solutions. Enhanced recovery programmes tailored to older adults could reduce postoperative functional decline. Ultimately, the greatest challenge an older adult with cancer may face is the mindset of their treating clinicians—a shared care approach between surgical oncologists and geriatricians is required. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:14:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3c557318658448d1ac88b0234de3e6c2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1198-0052 1718-7729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:14:07Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Oncology |
| spelling | doaj.art-3c557318658448d1ac88b0234de3e6c22023-11-23T19:26:44ZengMDPI AGCurrent Oncology1198-00521718-77292022-01-0129265967410.3390/curroncol29020058Challenges in Geriatric Oncology—A Surgeon’s PerspectiveRuth Parks0Kwok-Leung Cheung1Nottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UKNottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UKAs our global population ages, we will see more cancer diagnoses in older adults. Surgery is an important treatment modality for solid tumours, forming the majority of all cancers. However, the management of older adults with cancer can be more complex compared to their younger counterparts. This narrative review will outline the current challenges facing older adults with cancer and potential solutions. The challenges facing older adults with cancer are complex and include lack of high-level clinical trials targeting older adults and selection of the right patient for surgery. This may be standard surgical treatment, minimally invasive surgery or alternative therapies (no surgery) which can be local or systemic. The next challenge is to identify the individual patient’s vulnerabilities to allow them to be maximally optimised for treatment. Prehabilitation has been shown to be of benefit in some cancer settings but uniform guidance across all surgical specialties is required. Greater awareness of geriatric conditions amongst surgical oncologists and integration of geriatric assessment into a surgical clinic are potential solutions. Enhanced recovery programmes tailored to older adults could reduce postoperative functional decline. Ultimately, the greatest challenge an older adult with cancer may face is the mindset of their treating clinicians—a shared care approach between surgical oncologists and geriatricians is required.https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/29/2/58surgical oncologistgeriatricianolder adultscancerclinical trialsfrailty |
| spellingShingle | Ruth Parks Kwok-Leung Cheung Challenges in Geriatric Oncology—A Surgeon’s Perspective Current Oncology surgical oncologist geriatrician older adults cancer clinical trials frailty |
| title | Challenges in Geriatric Oncology—A Surgeon’s Perspective |
| title_full | Challenges in Geriatric Oncology—A Surgeon’s Perspective |
| title_fullStr | Challenges in Geriatric Oncology—A Surgeon’s Perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges in Geriatric Oncology—A Surgeon’s Perspective |
| title_short | Challenges in Geriatric Oncology—A Surgeon’s Perspective |
| title_sort | challenges in geriatric oncology a surgeon s perspective |
| topic | surgical oncologist geriatrician older adults cancer clinical trials frailty |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/29/2/58 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ruthparks challengesingeriatriconcologyasurgeonsperspective AT kwokleungcheung challengesingeriatriconcologyasurgeonsperspective |