Electronic Assessment of Physical Decline in Geriatric Cancer Patients

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To explore state-of-the-art remote monitoring and emerging new sensing technologies for in-home physical assessment and their application/potential in cancer-care. In addition, we discuss the main functional and non-functional requirements and research challenges of employing such technologies in real-world settings. RECENT FINDINGS: With rapid growth in aging population, effective and efficient patient care has become an important topic. Advances in remote monitoring and in its forefront in-home physical assessment technologies play a fundamental role in reducing the cost and improving the quality of care by complementing the traditional in-clinic health-care. However, there is a gap in medical research community regarding the applicability and potential outcomes of such systems. SUMMARY: While some studies reported positive outcomes using remote assessment technologies such as web/smart phone based self-reports and wearable sensors, the cancer research community is still lacking far behind. Thorough investigation of more advanced technologies in cancer-care is warranted.