title: Relevance of a systematic geriatric screening and assessment in older patients with cancer: results of a prospective multicentric study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the large-scale feasibility and usefulness of geriatric screening and assessment in clinical oncology practice by assessing the impact on the detection of unknown geriatric problems, geriatric interventions and treatment decisions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible patients who had a malignant tumour were ≥70 years old and treatment decision had to be made. Patients were screened using G8; if abnormal (score ≤14/17) followed by Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA). The assessment results were communicated to the treating physician using a predefined questionnaire to assess the topics mentioned above.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One thousand nine hundred and sixty-seven patients were included in 10 hospitals. Of these patients, 70.7% had an abnormal G8 score warranting a CGA. Physicians were aware of the assessment results at the time of treatment decision in two-thirds of the patients (n = 1115; 61.3%). The assessment detected unknown geriatric problems in 51.2% of patients. When the physician was aware of the assessment results at the time of decision making, geriatric interventions were planned in 286 patients (25.7%) and the treatment decision was influenced in 282 patients (25.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Geriatric screening and assessment in older patients with cancer is feasible at large scale and has a significant impact on the detection of unknown geriatric problems, leading to geriatric interventions and adapted treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Medical Oncology and Geriatric Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kenis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bron
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Libert
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Decoster
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Puyvelde
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scalliet
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cornette
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pepersack
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luce
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Langenaeken
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rasschaert
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Allepaerts
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Van Rijswijk
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Milisen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flamaing
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lobelle
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wildiers
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires