Optimising the care of primary breast cancer in older women—potential for a dedicated service

Abstract The management of elderly patients with breast cancer is complex. Currently, most of their treatment guidelines have been adapted from studies conducted in younger patients. However, studies have shown that breast cancer in the elderly have distinctive biological characteristics from the yo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of geriatric oncology Vol. 1; no. 2; pp. 103 - 108
Main Authors Tang, S.W, Morgan, D.A.L, Winterbottom, L, Kennedy, H, Porock, D, Cheung, K.L
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2010
Subjects
Breast cancer
Cancer services
Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine
Internal Medicine
Multidisciplinary team
Older women
Older women
Cancer services
Breast cancer
Multidisciplinary team
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Summary:Abstract The management of elderly patients with breast cancer is complex. Currently, most of their treatment guidelines have been adapted from studies conducted in younger patients. However, studies have shown that breast cancer in the elderly have distinctive biological characteristics from the young. Also, older patients have different needs from younger patients—including increased frailty, decreased functional status, comorbidities, polypharmacy, cognition, psychosocial support and nutrition. These should be assessed appropriately to take into account their daily function and quality of life. A comprehensive geriatric assessment could help identify pre-treatment risk factors and could guide clinical decision making, improving morbidity and prognosis. We describe a potential set up for a dedicated multidisciplinary-led elderly breast cancer clinic to provide the assessment, review and management of this distinctive set of patients.
ISSN:1879-4068
1879-4076
DOI:10.1016/j.jgo.2010.07.001