[Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in elderly with cancer: For whom?].

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Oncology
• Cancer Treatment in Elderly

Background:

• Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is recommended for cancer patients aged 70+.
• CGA assesses frail older individuals to plan treatment and follow-up.
• Identifying comorbidities and physiological changes is crucial for managing treatment toxicity risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present validated vulnerability screening tools for elderly cancer patients.
• To identify effective tools for selecting patients who would benefit from a full CGA.

Main Methods:

• Reviewed seven vulnerability screening tools.
• Focused on tools validated by at least two independent studies in elderly cancer populations.
• Evaluated effectiveness, ease of implementation, sensitivity, and specificity.

Main Results:

• The G8 and VES13 were identified as the most effective screening tools.
• The G8 is specifically validated for older cancer patients and recommended by scientific societies.
• The G8 demonstrates high sensitivity and fair specificity with easy clinical implementation.

Conclusions:

• The G8 is the simplest tool for routine identification of older cancer patients requiring a complete CGA.
• Screening tools facilitate the practical implementation of CGA in daily oncology practice.
• Further studies are ongoing to enhance the performance of screening tools like the G8.