Characteristics and treatment options of elderly Chinese patients with cancer as determined by Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA).
OBJECTIVE
China is experiencing a rapid increase in cancer incidence in elderly patients. In order to better understand this group, a large study of patients from multiple tertiary centers in the Beijing area was designed. This study was designed to provide insight into their unique treatment preferences, including the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).


METHODS
803 patients from nine hospitals in the Beijing area were enrolled into this study. The inclusion criteria were patients who were 65 years or older and had a diagnosis of cancer at any stage. The CGA questionnaire used with these patients included the Chinese translation of the Gero-Oncology Health and Quality of Life Assessment tool. The questionnaire was provided to patients by a research nurse and was administered in Mandarin.


RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 72 years (range 65-94). The patients were mainly male (59.8%) and of Han ethnicity (95.4%). About 45% of these patients also had concurrent TCM in addition to their other cancer treatments. About 70% were able to manage their activities of daily living without assistance. Patients on TCM were more likely to have higher number of co-morbidities compared to their counterparts.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the largest prospective study of CGA assessments done on elderly patients with cancer in Asia. The study demonstrates that CGA provides insights into understanding the needs of elderly Chinese patients with cancer. TCM is used frequently in China, and its impact on quality of life needs further investigation.
Ravindran
R
Kanesvaran
Wei
W
Wang
Yufei
Y
Yang
Zhengjun
Z
Wei
Liqun
L
Jia
Fang
F
Li
Shikai
S
Wu
Chunmei
C
Bai
Haiyan
H
Xie
Hongliang
H
Zhang
Guowang
G
Yang
Richard
R
Sloane
Pingping
P
Li
Harvey Jay
HJ
Cohen
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D002681:China; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005853:Geriatrics; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Cancer; Chinese; Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment; Elderly