City of Hope Geriatric Assessment

A geriatric assessment is utilized to capture information about a patients medical history as well as functional, cognitive, and psychosocial status, which can then be used by treating physicians to identify the most vulnerable patients (for example, those at high risk for chemotherapy toxicity). However, these assessments have not been routinely used in oncology practice because of the time and resources required for their administration. A geriatric assessment tool (that can be completed primarily by patients) was developed for incorporation into oncology clinical trials and routine care settings. The domains that are assessed include functional status, comorbidities, medications, nutritional status, cognitive function, and psychosocial status.