老年癌症相關認知功能障礙之實證照護建議

Caring Recommendations for Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment in Older Patients With Cancer

隨著平均餘命的延長，老年癌症的人口逐年增加。然而，老年癌症病人除了面臨年齡增長而導致認知功能下降之外，亦伴隨著癌症相關認知功能障礙的衝擊；有鑑於此，老年癌症的認知相關議題逐漸受重視，且顯示發展老年認知功能障礙之照護建議的重要與必要性。再者，由於影響認知功能的因素諸多，導致臨床照顧者與研究者在照護與研究此議題時，面臨極大的挑戰。因此，本文旨在介紹老年癌症認知功能障礙之現況及其相關因素，並根據實證探討於臨床照護與未來研究之建議，提供老年癌症認知相關之適切的臨床照護，以及未來介入措施之發展。

Increasing average life expectancy has been accompanied by a steady increase in the number of older patients with cancer. Notably, age-related declines in cognitive function are further exacerbated by cancer-related cognitive impairment in this patient population. Therefore, cancer-related cognitive impairment in older patients with cancer has attracted increasing attention, and care recommendations for this population are needed. The diverse factors affecting cognitive function present significant challenges for clinical healthcare providers and researchers caring for this population. In this article, the current status of cognitive dysfunction and its related factors in older patients with cancer are introduced and recommendations for clinical care and future research are discussed based on empirical evidence to provide appropriate clinical care and develop future interventions for older adults with cancer.