Assessing frailty in older adults with cancer to optimise care provision and outcomes

Frailty is a distinct health state related to the ageing process in which multiple body systems gradually lose their in-built reserves. The presence of frailty in older adults with cancer significantly affects treatment tolerance, recovery from treatment, complications and overall survival. Evidence suggests that measuring performance status alone is not fully reliable in this population, therefore assessing frailty using a validated screening tool is essential to optimising cancer care provision and patient outcomes. This article discusses the importance of early identification of frailty in older adults followed by referral for a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA). The article also describes how CGA supports a multidisciplinary and personalised care approach to identifying and managing an individual’s physical and psychosocial needs to optimise their ability to manage their cancer and cancer treatments. Two case studies are included to illustrate the benefits of a frailty assessment rather than performance status alone, and to describe how a multidisciplinary approach can support older patients and their families throughout the cancer journey.