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New Challenges in Communication with Cancer Patients pp 169–177Cite as

Effective Communication with Older Cancer Patients

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Abstract

This chapter reviews the special issues related to communication with older cancer patients. The first part of the chapter is a brief review of the current knowledge related to the treatment of cancer in the older-aged person, the second concerns the content of the message and its delivery.

The content of the message is derived from the current knowledge of the subject and may be so summarized:

  • The treatment of cancer may be beneficial to subjects of all ages and chronologic age is not a contraindication to cancer treatment

  • Given the diversity of the older population it is important to sort out patients who are more likely to benefit from cancer treatment and those who are not. A comprehensive geriatric assessment is the only validated instrument that does estimate the risk of mortality of older individuals and the risk of surgical and medical complications

  • Long-term complications of cancer treatment in older individuals, including the risk of functional dependence and cognitive decline, are still largely unknown

The delivery of the message needs to account for common perceptive changes of aging. As the tactile sensations are the best preserved in older individuals, touching the patient while talking to him/her may improve the effectiveness of the message. Likewise, the use of simple words and the delivery of written information are beneficial for patients with attention and memory disorders. The presence of a caregiver may facilitate the delivery of the message as long as the practitioner keeps the patient as the center of the interview.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Senior Adult Oncology Program, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA

    Lodovico Balducci MD & Martine Extermann MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Lodovico Balducci MD
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  2. Martine Extermann MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Lodovico Balducci MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Medicine, New York University Medical School, First Avenue 530, New York, 10016, USA

    Antonella Surbone

  2. Institute of Oncology, Zaloška 2, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia

    Matjaž Zwitter

  3. Institute of Oncology, Zaloška 2, Ljubljana, 1000, Ljubljana-Center, Slovenia

    Mirjana Rajer

  4. 38th Street 2838, Astoria, 11103, New York, USA

    Richard Stiefel

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Balducci, L., Extermann, M. (2013). Effective Communication with Older Cancer Patients. In: Surbone, A., Zwitter, M., Rajer, M., Stiefel, R. (eds) New Challenges in Communication with Cancer Patients. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3369-9_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3369-9_14

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  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-3368-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-3369-9

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