Nursing care of older adult with cancer undergoing chemotherapy

Abstract

: Nursing care of older adults with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, professional nurse should be knowledgeable and understand topics related to causes and mechanisms of cancer in older adults, chemotherapy, degenerative of cells and functional declines of organs resulting in drug toxicity. Three mechanisms affecting to treatment efficacy were pharmaco-kinetics, pharmaco-dynamics and tolerance of normal tissues. Chemotherapy also impacts on organ functioning and quality of life of older adults with cancer undergoing chemotherapy in all 4 dimensions: physical, psychological, social and spiritual. Professional nurses in cancer areas should develop their own competencies in assessing geriatric oncology with chemotherapy using daily geriatric oncology assessment guidelines in order to make plan and to care for older adults with cancer undergoing chemotherapy more effectively.