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Updated: Jun 19, 2026
06:11
Therapy Testing in a Spheroid-based 3D Cell Culture Model for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: April 20, 2018
[Head and neck cancers in geriatric patients]
Ercihan Güney1, Sedat Cağli, Imdat Yüce
1Department of Otolaryngology, Medicine Faculty of Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
Summary
Elderly cancer patients require personalized treatment plans considering physiological age and comorbidities, not just chronological age. A multidisciplinary approach involving geriatricians is crucial for optimal care and clinical trial participation.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Oncology
- Head and Neck Cancer Surgery
Context:
- Cancer incidence increases with age, leading to a growing elderly patient population requiring cancer treatment.
- Head and neck surgeons face therapeutic challenges when treating older adults with cancer.
- Older cancer patients often receive less standard treatment compared to younger counterparts.
Purpose:
- To highlight the importance of physiological age over chronological age in cancer treatment planning for the elderly.
- To emphasize the role of comorbidity in determining treatment intensity for older cancer patients.
- To advocate for a multidisciplinary approach and geriatric assessment in managing elderly cancer patients.
Summary:
- Therapeutic decisions for elderly cancer patients must integrate tumor characteristics with physiological age and comorbidity status.
- Comprehensive geriatric assessment and a collaborative approach among surgeons, oncologists, radiation specialists, and geriatricians are essential.
- Increased recruitment of elderly cancer patients into clinical trials is necessary to improve treatment strategies for this demographic.
Impact:
- Promotes individualized cancer care for the elderly, moving beyond chronological age.
- Enhances treatment efficacy and patient outcomes through coordinated, multidisciplinary care.
- Contributes to advancing the understanding and management of cancer in aging populations.
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