"A Study of Treatment Decisions in Elderly Patients with Colorectal Cancer and their consequences on Multi-Dimensional Aspects of Patients Functioning"

This study sets out to examine treatment decisions and their consequences in a stratified sample of elderly patients recently diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the South Thames region.

The three year study will:

1)	investigate the basis of treatment decisions relevant to older patients with colorectal cancer and identify the importance of a range on factors to the decision-making process;
2)	establish whether treatment decisions are made on the basis of disease stage and co-morbidity alone, and, if not, what role age and functional status play in these decisions;
3)	investigate the consequences of treatment decisions for patients and their informal carers, and for health and social services;
4)	describe the response of different categories of health care personnel to the treatment and care needs of older people with colorectal cancer;
5)	evaluate the role of the OARS Multi-dimensional Functional Assessment Tool (Fillinbaum, 1988) in clinical decision-making for older patients with colorectal cancer.

Publications to date:

Bailey, C.  Older patients' experiences of pre-treatment discussions: an analysis of qualitative data from a study of colorectal cancer.  NT Research (2001) 6:4;736-746

This research was carried out at the Institute of Cancer Research, Royal Cancer Hospital, London

Further information can be obtained from:

Professor Jessica Corner
School of Nursing and Midwifery
University of Southampton
Highfield
Southampton
SO17 1BJ
UK