Chemotherapeutic Toxicity And Symptom Management In Geriatric Patients With Cancer

Introduction: It is very important to perform a comprehensive geriatric assessment to prevent the development of physiological and psychological complications that may be associated with cancer and treatment in elderly individuals. Method: Literature review was presented extracting from the full texts and summarized articles reached via databases such as “Pub Med, Scopus, Scince Direct, Ulakbim, Google Scholar” by using key words such as chemotherapeutic toxicity, symptom management, geriatric patients and cancer. Results: Complications such as myelosuppression, gastrointestinal toxicity, fluid electrolyte imbalance, metabolic problems, skin reactions, ulcers, photosensitivity, organ toxicity are very common in comoterapy. In order to control these complications, which may be seen more aggressively in elderly individuals, the patient, family and health personnel should work as a whole. Conclusion: Routinely informed about comprehensive geriatric assessment, disease status, functional capacity and general health risks, quality of life should be kept at maximum level. Whenever possible, the person performing the patient should protect their activities independently. Individual and family cancer treatment procedures and chemotherapy complications and symptom management should be trained. Keywords: Cancer; Chemotherapeutic Toxicity; Geriatric Patients; Symptom Managemen