In order to make the right treatment decisions for elderly patients with cancer, an approach involving a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is advocated. Elderly patients are more likely than their younger counterparts to present with functional dependence, co-morbidity, polypharmacy, malnutrition, cognitive dysfunction, and depression. It has been shown that a routine clinical evaluation including assessment of performance status does not capture the full range of problems these patients may have. In addition to identifying remediable conditions influencing treatment, CGA is thought to be helpful in establishing treatment goals.
 
Links to some of the most common tools included in a CGA are presented below:

• Mini Nutritional Assessment:  MNA 
  
• VES-13
  
• Geriatric Depression Scale: GDS-short form
  
• ECOG Performance Status
  
• Barthel index
  
• Mini Mental State Examination: MMSE
  
• Senior Adult Oncology Program: SAOP2 questionnaire
  References:
  Extermann M, Green T, Tiffenberg G, Rich CJ. Validation of the Senior Adult Oncology Program (SAOP)2 screening questionnaire. International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) conference, Montreal, Oct 16-18, 2008. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 69(2): 185, 2009
  Johnson D, Blair J, Balducci L, Extermann M, Crocker T, McGinnis M, Vranas P. The assessment of clinical resources in a Senior Adult Oncology Program. European Oncology Nursing Society Meeting, Innsbruck, Austria, April 22, 2006.
  
• Adult Comorbidity Evaluation-27: ACE-27
  
• MAX2 index: how to calculate the MAX2 index and the average risk of toxicity for a chemotherapy regimen.

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