Functional status is an important factor to consider when evaluating the overall health of older patients, especially those with cancer.
However, because the amount of time they spend with patients is limited, oncologists sometimes fail to broach the topic in their assessments of older patients with cancer.
“There is an expectation that the oncologist will focus on the patient’s cancer treatment and the associated health care needs and not as much on other issues that an older adult might bring up to their primary care provider, like having trouble walking or falling,”