Falls in Older Adults with Cancer

Over half of new cancer diagnoses occur in Medicare-aged patients. Over half of long term cancer survivors are older than 65 years. Thus, cancer and cancer treatment occur at the intersection of aging and increasing fall risk. About 30 % of elderly fall each year, but only 1 - 5 % of falls cause serious injury. Research on falls and interventions to prevent injurious falls in homes and hospitals shows that their causes are multifactorial. Patient factors such as gait and balance, disease factors such as dehydration and neurotoxic drugs, and environmental factors have been examined. In this paper, we summarize what is known about falls in elderly cancer patients and place it in the context of what is known about falls per se. We will report on interventions to improve fall safety for cancer patients and cancer survivors. We will identify rapid screening tools for proactive falls prevention in oncology practice.