OBJECTIVES: To review recently published studies that describe the presence of selected cancer-related symp- toms and relationships between them in the gero-oncology popula- tion. DATA SOURCES: Research studies, review articles, and government documents. CONCLUSION: Cancer-related symptoms have been studied for over two de- cades, yet little is known about the functional effects of age on the disease experience. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses are encouraged to con- sider symptoms related to other chronic illnesses that contribute to an older person’s daily living when planning oncology nursing care. SYMPTOM CORRELATES IN THE GERO- ONCOLOGY POPULATION ANN REINER AND CHERYL LACASSE S YMPTOM management in the population of aging adults with a diagnosis of cancer is currently built on a body of knowledge emerging from a blending of existing understanding in cancer symptom management and geriatric health care. Whether disease- or treatment-related, the impact of cancer symptoms in this population has not been extensively studied. Older adults have been included, although under-represented, in clinical treatment trials. 1–3 However, there has been few treatment or supportive care trials to explicitly describe symptom responses in this population. Despite the lack of evidence, clinical obser- vations confirm that older adults with cancer experience symp- toms that affect their daily living. Although multiple symptoms are associated with cancer and its treatment, several are com- mon to many patients. Oncology care providers have long observed that pain and fatigue are commonly experienced symptoms in all ages of patients, often a result of cancer, its treatment, and the psychosocial response to both. 4–6 Changes in mood frequently accompany a diagnosis, treatment, and the experience of symptoms or recurrence of cancer. 5,7,8 Mood disturbances, possibly compounding normal aging changes, can initiate sleep disturbances. 5,9 The effect of age in the cancer symptom experience is a complex multidimensional phenome- non that is beginning to be explored. 10 Kagan 11 has suggested that it is necessary to organize a nursing research agenda around the many unknowns within the popula- tion of aging people with cancer. She offers the term “gero- oncology” as a label to help collate information about physiologic aging and cancer biology; advances in cancer treatment and their From the College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. Ann Reiner, RN, MN, OCN®: Doctoral student in the College of Nursing, Univer- sity of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. Cheryl Lacasse, RN, MS, OCN® : Doctoral student in the College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. Supported in part by scholarships in cancer nursing DSCN-03-204-01, DSCN- 03-204-03 (A.R.), and DSCN-03-200-01 (C.L.) from the American Cancer Society and by the John A. Hartford Foundation’s Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Ca- pacity Scholarship program grant no. 04- 115. Address correspondence to Ann Reiner, RN, MS OCN®, 4006 NE Couch St, Port- land, OR 97232; e-mail: reinera@ohsu.edu © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 0749-2081/06/2201-$30.00/0 doi:10.1016/j.soncn.2005.10.004 20 Seminars in Oncology Nursing, Vol 22, No 1 (February), 2006: pp 20 –30