URO TODAY: Older prostate cancer patients should be treated according to their health, not age, says an international panel of geriatric oncology specialists. READ MORE>
The panel calls for a revamp of international guidelines and says for this purpose older men – the average age of prostate cancer patients is 68 – can be divided into four groups:
- “Healthy” patients (controlled co-morbidity, fully independent in daily living activities, no malnutrition) should get the same treatment as younger patients.
- “Vulnerable” patients (reversible impairment) should get standard treatment after medical intervention.
- “Frail” patients (irreversible impairment) should have adapted treatment.
- “Terminal” patients should have symptomatic palliative treatment.