Risikoassessment für die onkologische Chirurgie bei älteren Patient:innen

A large proportion of patients in surgical oncology are aged 60 years and older. Surgeons face multiple challenges in these patients such as frailty, comorbidities, and reduced capacities for coping with intense surgical oncology therapies.

The aim of this work was to provide a comprehensive review of geriatric assessment options and their implications in surgical oncology.

A selective search of the literature was performed using databases such as PubMed and Medline on the topic “geriatric assessment in surgical oncology.” The results are reported in the context of a narrative review.

Elderly patients face a high risk of treatment-associated complications and mortality. Early detection of these challenges remains crucial. A comprehensive geriatric assessment is meant to assess risk profiles and identify therapeutic obstacles in order to address them with individualized interventions. This approach has been associated with improved treatment outcomes in multiple studies.

Comprehensive geriatric assessments can form the basis of individualized treatment and specific interventions developed by the multidisciplinary team and the patients themselves. This leads to improved outcomes and quality of life.