Perioperative geriatric intervention may be helpful for patients with gastrointestinal cancers

Poor outcomes after surgery are common in older adults with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. Data presented at the 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Virtual Scientific Program, explored the potential benefit of utilizing geriatricians in the care of older patients with GI cancers undergoing surgery.

In this study, patients age ≥65 with GI cancers planning to undergo surgical resection were randomly assigned to receive a perioperative geriatric intervention, which included meeting with a geriatrician before and after surgery, or usual care.

In the intention-to-treat analyses, perioperative geriatric intervention did not significantly impact postoperative length of stay, ICU use, or readmission rates. However, patients who received intervention had less symptoms of depression and fewer moderate/severe patient-reported symptoms.

The authors concluded that, “Future studies of this perioperative geriatric intervention should include efforts, such as telehealth visits, to ensure the intervention is delivered as planned.”

 Reference

Qian CL. Randomized trial of a perioperative geriatric intervention for older adults with cancer. Presented at: 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Virtual Scientific Program; May 29-31.