Registry of Older Patients With Cancer

OBJECTIVES: Primary * To create a registry (to be called "Carolina Senior") of older patients with an appointment at North Carolina Cancer Hospital. * To have these patients complete a Geriatric Assessment (GA). Secondary * To measure the response rates of GAs of Carolina Senior patients and their satisfaction with a GA by measuring the percentage of patients contacted who consent to complete the GA; the percentage of patients able to complete the self-administered portion of the GA without assistance; the length of time necessary to complete the GA; the variance and number of missing items; the percentage of GAs that contain all 3 of the following items: Timed Up and Go Assessment, Blessed Orientation-Memory-Concentration Test, and healthcare professional-rated Karnofsky performance status; and patient satisfaction with the questionnaire by identifying items that are distressing or too difficult to comprehend. * To gather information, including patterns of patient care, that would lend support for future research in the 'Carolina Senior' population who receive a confirmed diagnosis of cancer (except for nonmelanoma skin cancer, cervical carcinoma in situ without evidence of disease, or prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia without evidence of prostate cancer). OUTLINE: Patients complete a geriatric assessment, a multi-dimensional inter-disciplinary patient evaluation that includes an evaluation of a patient's functional status (ability to live independently at home and in the community), co-morbid medical conditions, cognition, psychological status, social functioning and support, medication review, and nutritional status. Patients' medical records are also reviewed. Patients' health status at 1 year is incorporated into the registry.