Geriatrics Clinical Resource Area

Cancer occurs predominantly in older adults. In fact, 60% of all cancers occur in individuals over 65 years of age. Because age is one of the most important risk factors for cancer, the clinical areas of oncology and gerontology overlap significantly.

As the population of the United States continues to age, there will continue to be an increase in number of older adults receiving cancer care. As a group these individuals are often treated based on faulty assumptions regarding their ability to tolerate treatment. As noted in the Oncology Nursing Society and Geriatric Oncology Consortium Joint Position on Cancer Care in the Older Adult, 2004;"Such assumptions have and continue to limit the adequacy of research, appropriateness of care, and currency of education within cancer care" (2004).

Nurses caring for these patients need to continually expand their knowledge, develop evidence based practices, and focus our research efforts in the care and special needs of older adults. In response to this need, ONS has developed this resource area in conjunction with the American Nurses Association and the John A. Hartford Foundation Institute for Geriatric Nursing.