As medical advancements improve life expectancy, oncology teams increasingly treat patients well into their 80s and 90s. This shift creates a need for care plans that account for diverse levels of physical ability and cognitive health. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Older Adults With Cancer, available for free online and via the NCCN Patient Guides for Cancer app, provide tools to help families navigate these challenges.
New NCCN Guidelines Aim to Personalize Cancer Care for Older Adults
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network has released a new resource designed to move cancer treatment beyond chronological age, urging clinicians and patients to prioritize individual health assessments. The guidelines offer a framework for navigating complex care decisions for patients over 65, focusing on physical and cognitive function rather than birth dates.
Dr. Efrat Dotan, chair of the NCCN guidelines panel, noted that patients over 65 often face varying interactions between cancer treatments and existing health conditions. The resource outlines specific assessment tools to help patients initiate informed conversations with their oncologists. By focusing on individual fitness levels and personal preferences, these guidelines aim to reduce the isolation often felt by seniors during treatment, offering a roadmap for caregivers managing complex scenarios, such as dementia or high fall risks.
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