Comorbidity, Disability, and Geriatric Syndromes

Comorbidity is defined as the presence of one or more disorders in addition to colorectal cancer. Comorbidity plays a role in a patient’s individual risk of ­mortality and morbidity and may influence tolerance to cancer therapy. A comorbidity assessment is necessary to answer the following questions: Is the patient’s remaining life expectancy likely to be limited by the colorectal cancer or by another comorbid medical condition? Will the comorbid condition(s) affect treatment tolerance? What are the interactions between the comorbid medical conditions and colorectal cancer?