Medicine

Minsu Kang, Jeonghyun Kang, C. Song, H. Oh, Hong Chung, Ilhak Lee, Jae Hung Jung, J. Jeon, Eunji Jeong, Jeong Rim Koh, J. Kwon, Jung-Yeon Choi, Kidong Kim, Kwang-min Kim, Kyung-Hyun Moon, Minkyu Jung, S. Hong, Su-Jin Koh, Sukki Cho, Suzy Kim, Yun-Gyoo Lee, M. Choi, Dong Ah Park, M. Han, I. G. Hwang, Jin Won Kim, J. Kim

2026.2.19Cancer Research and Treatment

DOI: 10.4143/crt.2025.1283

tlooto Summary

Geriatric Assessment identifies multidimensional vulnerabilities often missed by standard performance measures, providing critical information to guide individualized treatment planning, and validated geriatric screening tools, life expectancy prediction models, and toxicity risk calculators are recommended to support risk stratification and decision-making.

Abstract

The Korean Cancer Association's clinical practice guidelines for geriatric oncology provide an evidence-based, multidisciplinary framework to optimize cancer care for the growing population of older adults. Geriatric Assessment (GA) identifies multidimensional vulnerabilities often missed by standard performance measures, providing critical information to guide individualized treatment planning. This guideline recommends using validated geriatric screening tools, life expectancy prediction models, and toxicity risk calculators to support risk stratification and decision-making. By integrating GA-based multidisciplinary interventions and shared decision-making into clinical practice, clinicians can avoid both overtreatment and undertreatment, reduce treatment-related toxicity, and potentially enhance quality of life. Although the certainty of evidence for most recommendations ranged from very low to low, the panel reached a consensus to provide conditional recommendations. This decision reflects the judgment that the clinical benefits-specifically in reducing treatment-related toxicity and identifying vulnerabilities-outweigh the limitations of current evidence, addressing the urgent need for standardized geriatric care in Korea. Ultimately, these guidelines aim to support individualized, patient-centered care and serve as a practical foundation for clinical and educational applications within the Korean healthcare system.

Citation format

KANG, Minsu, et al. Korean practical guidelines for geriatric assessment and management of older adults with cancer: A korean cancer association guideline for geriatric oncology. Cancer Research and Treatment, 2026.