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PalC/Resources/Learning Materials/Doctors/[Journal article] Effect of comprehensive geriatric assessment and supportive care on quality of life in older patients with cancer receiving curative treatment: The GOSPEL randomised controlled trial
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Year 2026
May 2026

[Journal article] Effect of comprehensive geriatric assessment and supportive care on quality of life in older patients with cancer receiving curative treatment: The GOSPEL randomised controlled trial

26 May 2026

Authors: Wen Yang Goh, Francis C.H. Ho, Han Yee Neo, Mervyn Y.H. Koh, Ming Yann Lim, Hui Lin Teo, Allyn Y.M. Hum

Published in: Journal of Geriatric Oncology Published online: 19 May 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgo.2026.103010

Summary points:

  1. A geriatric oncology supportive clinic (GOSC) can meaningfully improve quality of life in older adults undergoing curative cancer treatment.

Subjects who received care through the GOSC demonstrated significant and sustained improvement in EQ5D-VAS scores at all measured time points compared to their baseline measurements, and this improvement was maintained throughout the 12-month follow-up period. In contrast, subjects in the usual care group did not experience meaningful improvement in EQ5D-VAS scores until 12 months after recruitment.

  1. Longitudinal follow-up is likely an important ingredient for quality-of-life improvement in geriatric oncology.

Most studies that showed improvement in QoL had planned longitudinal follow-up with patients beyond the initial CGA and management — for example, INTEGERATE had follow-up by geriatricians at 12 and 24 weeks, and GERICO had follow-up by a geriatrician after two months. Studies that did not include planned follow-up reviews to reinforce support showed no improvement in QoL.

  1. The choice of QoL measurement instrument matters, and broader health status tools may be more sensitive to detecting change in this population.

While GOSPEL demonstrated improvement in EQ5D-VAS over time for the GOSC group, it showed no difference in EORTC QLQ-ELD14 scores between GOSC and UC. A possible explanation is that EQ-5D is more sensitive to broad health status changes in patients over the 12-month follow-up period, and that these changes might not be detected by the more older adult-specific EORTC QLQ-ELD14.

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