Systematic Review of Barriers to the Recruitment of Older Patients With Cancer Onto Clinical Trials

Specific clinical trials confined to older patients should be conducted to evaluate tumor biology, treatment tolerability, and the effect of comorbid conditions. Protocol designs need to stratify for age and be less restrictive with respect to exclusions on functional status, comorbidity, and previous cancers, such that results are generalizable to older patients. Physician education to dispel unfounded perceptions, improved access to available clinical trials, and provision of personnel and resources to accommodate the unique requirements of an older population are possible solutions to remove the barriers of ageism.