Incorporating Geriatric Oncology Concepts into Palliative Medicine Across the Cancer Care Continuum (P18)

Abstract

•Understand and use geriatric medicine centered principles and cancer-focused geriatric assessment to enhance the delivery of comprehensive supportive cancer care for older adults.•Understand the potential role of primary and consultative geriatrics relating to the continuum of care of an older adult who has received a cancer diagnosis.•Develop the necessary skillset to recognize and treat geriatric conditions to facilitate providing palliative care earlier in the continuum of care for geriatric oncology patients. As the number of older adults at risk for and/or having been diagnosed with cancer steadily increases, so does the necessity for models of greater collaboration between geriatrics, palliative medicine, and oncology. Cancer will surpass cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of mortality in older adult cohorts within several decades. The 2013 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report Delivering High-Quality Cancer Care: Charting a New Course for a System in Crisis has highlighted the multi-factorial need for change in the delivery of cancer care—focusing specifically upon older adult population issues. “The expert committee concluded that the cancer care delivery system is in crisis due to: 1) a growing demand for cancer care; 2) increasing complexity of treatment; 3) a shrinking workforce; and 4) rising costs.” Recognizing the need for enhanced collaborative efforts between the disciplines of palliative and geriatric medicine and oncology, and in response to this IOM report, the American Geriatrics Society/American Society of Clinical Oncology Geriatric Oncology Summit was convened in December 2013. Select representatives from each organization discussed the potential opportunities and existing barriers impacting the delivery of best-practices cancer care to older adults ranging from prevention to end-of-life care. Palliative medicine practitioners will increasingly be caring for older adults earlier in the cancer care continuum and will need to be prepared to assess and treat age-related conditions and geriatric syndromes in order to provide best supportive care. The goal of this preconference workshop is to provide relevant information and tools employed by geriatric oncology to palliative medicine practitioners caring for older adults with cancer. This preconference session will explore the interface between palliative medicine, geriatrics, and oncology and consider how the collaborative care among the three disciplines contributes to optimal supportive care. This workshop will focus upon the geriatric oncology based knowledge and clinical competencies necessary for palliative medicine providers to best serve their older adult patients.