title: Cancer in the elderly: is it time for palliative care in geriatric oncology?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Persons aged 65 and over are the fastest growing segment of the population in most Western countries. Although cancer-related death occurs far more commonly in older people than in any age group, studies on palliative care in older adults are lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper aims at evaluating the needs in elderly patients affected by cancer and the state of the art of the research in palliative care in this setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search was performed (PubMed) to identify relevant studies. Papers were reviewed for relevance to palliative care in the elderly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elderly who need palliative care are frequently disregarded as individuals and may experience discrimination because of their age. Palliative care for older patients relates particularly to multiple treatments for various conditions. This causes extra complexities for the researchers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The aim of the study was not fully achieved due to the paucity of literature focusing upon these issues. The areas of investigation that need to be addressed comprise: establishing the prevailing symptoms in elderly patients, understanding patients' psychological/spiritual well-being and quality of life and elucidating the sources of caregiver burden, adapting research methodologies specifically for palliative care and comparing the needs and the outcomes of this age group to younger patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncological Sciences "L.A. Seràgnoli", Sant' Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Italy; Academy of the Sciences of Palliative Medicine, Bentivoglio, Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: nicolebrighi@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brighi
authors.affiliation: Medicine and Oncological Sciences, University of South Florida, College of Medicine, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, USA.
authors.forename: Lodovico
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Balducci
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncological Sciences "L.A. Seràgnoli", Sant' Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Italy; Academy of the Sciences of Palliative Medicine, Bentivoglio, Bologna, Italy; "Giorgio Prodi" Center for Cancer Research, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biasco
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016330:Frail Elderly; D005853:Geriatrics; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: (EOL) care; Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA); Elderly; Geriatric oncology; Palliative care