With the acceleration of population aging in China, the number of elderly patients with lung cancer continues to rise. These patients not only face threats from the tumor itself but also often suffer from multiple chronic diseases and geriatric syndromes, which increase the complexity of perioperative management and surgical risks. To provide standardized perioperative management strategies for elderly lung cancer patients, this guideline aims to reduce postoperative complications and improve patients' quality of life through comprehensive geriatric assessment, comorbidity management, and early identification and intervention of complications. The guideline working group has drafted the "Protocol for guidelines on the comprehensive perioperative management of elderly patients with lung cancer (2025)", detailing the development process of the guidelines.
ObjectiveThis study aims to develop and implement a patient-centered, comprehensive perioperative geriatric syndrome management model. This systematic approach seeks to optimize preoperative status, mitigate surgical stress, and promote rapid postoperative recovery, ultimately achieving dual objectives: extending healthy lifespan and ensuring surgical safety and efficacy. MethodsThrough systematic literature review and clinical practice summarization, a perioperative geriatric syndrome management model for elderly lung cancer patients was developed. Based on comprehensive geriatric assessment, a multidisciplinary team was established to address seven common geriatric syndromes: frailty, delirium, sarcopenia, cognitive impairment, malnutrition, dysphagia, and emotional disorders. Dynamic assessment, risk stratification, and individualized comprehensive intervention plans were formulated. Concurrently, core involvement of family members and caregivers was emphasized. ResultsImplementation of this comprehensive management model established a systematic intervention pathway covering preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative geriatric syndromes, enabling dynamic monitoring and individualized management of perioperative status in elderly lung cancer patients. The model effectively integrated multidisciplinary resources, enhanced family and caregiver support capabilities, and provided institutional and human resource guarantees for seamless transition of interventions between inpatient and outpatient settings, thereby preliminarily establishing a continuous perioperative geriatric support system. ConclusionThis patient-centered, comprehensive perioperative geriatric syndrome management model systematically addresses multiple geriatric syndromes in elderly lung cancer patients. It optimizes preoperative preparation, reduces surgical risks, and promotes postoperative recovery, holding significant clinical value for improving patient outcomes and quality of life. By emphasizing multidisciplinary collaboration and family involvement, this model provides a practical reference for continuous and holistic perioperative management of elderly lung cancer patients.