Importancia de la valoración geriátrica integral en el manejo de pacientes con cáncer

Importance of comprehensive geriatric assessment in the management of patients with cancer Elderly patients represent a significant percentage of the population suffering from oncological diseases, leading to a challenge in making decisions. That since functional assessment scales traditionally used in oncology as the Karnofsky performance status and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group fail side conditions such as frailty, cognitive impairment, depression and dependence in activities of daily living that predict a reduced tolerance to medical treatment and are associated with higher mortality. Comprehensive geriatric assessment covers each of these aspects and allows the design of comprehensive plans of care and rehabilitation, forcing the involvement of geriatricians in the multidisciplinary teams that manage these patients. There are tools such as the Vulnerable Elders Survey 13 with sufficient sensitivity to allow in short time to identify those elderly who will benefit from a broader assessment to determine their best treatment. (MED.UIS. 2012;25(2):121-8)