Oncology

Resources

Report

• "Multidisciplinary Approaches to Caring for Older Adults with Cancer," a report from the Association of Community Cancer Centers released in partnership with GSA and the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (2019)

Resources to Transform Care

In partnership with GSA, the Onology Nursing Society, and International Society of Geriatric Oncology, the Association of Community Cancer Centers has developed a suite of practical resources to help teams access and improve the level of care for serving older adults with cancer.

• Geriatric Oncology Gap Assessment: Take the evidence-based gap assessment tool to evaluate key elements of care. Assess your program’s performance against validated measures and best practices related to older adult care in nine domains. You will receive a report with a score and recommendations for improvement.
• Practical Application of Geriatric Assessment: A How-To Guide for the Multidisciplinary Team: Read the how-to guide to design a multidisciplinary approach to holistic care without burdening staff or budgets. They key is to start with something simple and feasible.
• Online Resource Library: Browse the resource library which includes more than 100 validated assessment tools, offering solutions for all care delivery settings.

Pertinent Articles

• Cancer Awareness Collection (A partnership between GSA's journals and Annals of Behavioral Medicine, featuring a collection of recent impactful research on cancer awareness.)
• "Growing Need Demands New Approaches to Caring for Older Adults with Cancer," (Oncology Issues, September/October 2019)
• "Opportunities for Cancer Prevention During Older Adulthood," CDC-funded supplemental issue of GSA’s The Gerontologist (Volume 15, Supplement 1, June 2019)
• "Cancer in a Gerontological Context," editorial appearing in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences (Volume 70, Issue 6, June 2015)

Archived Webinars

• GSA/CDC Webinar part 1: "Health Literacy Considerations for Initiatives with Older Adults" 
  • The archived webinar (link to YouTube)
  • Webinar slides (PDF format)
• GSA/CDC Webinar part 2: "Sun Protection and Sunburn Among Older U.S. Adults" 
  • The archived webinar (Link to Youtube)
  • Webinar slides (PDF format)

GSA partnered with the Association of Community Cancer Centers and the International Society of Geriatric Oncology on a six-part webinar series on caring for older adults with cancer.

• "Caring for Your Older Patients with Cancer" 
• "What Every Cancer Program Team Member Should Know About Geriatric Assessment" 
• "Time for a Remedy: A Focus on Pharmacy and the Older Adult" 
• "A Review of Validated Tools for Geriatric Assessment and How to Use Them" 
• "Empowering the Multi-Disciplinary Team to Support Care for Geriatric Oncology Patients" 
• "Early Introduction of Palliative Care and Best Practices for End of Life" 

Annual Scientific Meeting Sessions

"Older Adults and Cancer: Building the Research and Clinical Care Infrastructure for an Aging Population" 
Momentum Discussion at GSA's 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting
Moderator: Harvey Jay Cohen
Panelists: Harvey Jay Cohen, Elana Plotkin, Peggy Burhenn
As a result of improvements in treatment and supportive care, the number of older cancer survivors is increasing, including many with comorbid conditions that complicate treatment plans. Frequently, because of the lack of research into the care of older adults with cancer and comorbid conditions, clinicians find themselves unprepared to assess and manage these complex patients. Older adults are often underscreened for cancers, the conditions are understaged when they are found, and treatment is often less aggressive than in younger individuals or not provided at all. This session will examine the relationship between aging and cancer, as well as ways that cancer research, prevention, and care can be improved for older adults. 
Supported by Pfizer. 

• Slides

Interest Group

Cancer and Aging: Advancing age increases risk of cancer. Simultaneously, age-related conditions may complicate cancer recovery and pose a lifelong challenge. The Cancer and Aging Interest Group brings together a multidisciplinary group, including clinicians, basic and social/behavioral scientists, public health practitioners, advocates and educators, to address cancer and aging across the cancer continuum. Together, we seek to identify challenges and opportunities at the intersection of cancer and aging and translate lessons from bedside to the community for older cancer survivors and their families.