Dr. Muss Discusses the Need for Geriatric Assessments

Hyman B. Muss, MD, Professor of Medicine, Director of Geriatric Oncology, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, discusses the need for older patients to undergo a geriatric assessment.

One major concern when treating cancer patients, Muss says, is that beneficial, lifesaving treatments are often tested in younger patients. Frequently, age bias and lack of training in geriatrics can preclude physicians from administering the best treatments, whether it be undertreating or overtreating. A geriatric assessment can be done quickly in an office and helps to address problems or find the perfect treatment for an older patient.