title: Multidimensional geriatric assessment in treatment decision in elderly cancer patients: 6-year experience in an outpatient geriatric oncology service.
abstract: This prospective cohort study of consecutive elderly cancer patients was undertaken to evaluate the role of the multidimensional geriatric assessment (MGA) as an aid in treatment decision-making. A total of 571 cancer patients (aged > or =70) were enrolled during 6-year (1999-2005). All underwent MGA as part of the first evaluation. In multivariate analysis, the probability of receiving active, instead of palliative, treatment was negatively associated with increasing age (odds ratio=0.69 every 5 years, p=0.005), living alone (OR=0.54, p=0.031), dependence in activities of daily living (ADL score >0, OR=0.41, p=0.003) and a low body-mass index (BMI) (OR=0.51, p=0.061); while a positive association emerged for instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) score (OR=1.12 per point, p=0.019). Our data suggest that MGA, in addition to age, is a useful tool in clinical practice for deciding cancer treatment in elderly patients, with a major independent role played by living alone, ADL, IADL and BMI.
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, ASO S. Giovanni Battista, Turin, Italy. marenco.daniela@tiscalinet.it
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Marenco
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Marinello
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Berruti
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Gaspari
authors: M F
authors: MF
authors: Stasi
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Rosato
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Bertetto
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Molaschi
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Ciccone
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D010045:Outpatients; D010166:Palliative Care; D012720:Severity of Illness Index