India issues 1st cancer guidelines for adults 60 and older
India just rolled out its first set of guidelines focused on cancer treatment for people 60 and older.
Created by Tata Memorial Hospital with input from AIIMS Delhi experts, these guidelines say doctors should look at a patient's overall health, not just their age, before starting treatments like chemotherapy.
Guidelines recommend clinics to tailor treatment
The plan is to set up special clinics with teams including oncologists, geriatricians, physiotherapists, dietitians, and psychologists.
They will check things like physical strength, nutrition, other health issues, memory, and how risky chemotherapy might be.
If resources are tight, the basics, physical function, nutrition, comorbidities, and chemotherapy toxicity risk, should still be checked.
The main goal is to make sure older patients get treatment that actually fits their needs and helps avoid unnecessary complications.