El abordaje integral del paciente oncológico de edad avanzada

Abstract

Introduction: The world population, as well as the number of elderly people, grow exponentially. Elderly individuals are at a higher risk of developing an oncological disease, especially because they are subject to a longer period of exposure to carcinogens, and a worse capacity for regeneration of their deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) (1). Cancer in elderly individuals represents 80% of the annual deaths secondary to this pathology (2). The older patient with cancer presents many differences with respect to the rest of elderly individuals. On the one hand, functional limitation and geriatric syndromes are more prevalent (3), as well as the presence of frailty (4). In addition, they habitually have a worse perception of their health status (4). For all these reasons, the attention to oncological older patients must be specialized and, in their evaluation, the use of a fundamental tool is required, the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA). As its name indicates, its application requires collaboration between different specialties (5,6). This multidisciplinary work will improve the baseline situation of the patient, in those cases in which it is possible, and will facilitate the subsequent therapeutic management (7). Finally, the existence of concrete organizational models, such as the Oncogeriatrics Units, or the Cancer Consultations in the Elderly, can facilitate and favor this integral approach (5). In this article a review of all these concepts is carried out.