SJS-3 - Geriatric oncology in Japan

Abstract

In Japan, the field of geriatric oncology has not long history of development yet. The cancer control act was amended in Dec. 2016, and The Basic Plan to Promote Cancer Control Programs (the 3rd term) was decided by the Cabinet in Oct. 2017. In the 3rd term Basic Plan, the measures of improving cancer care for the elderly are included. JSMO working group of geriatric oncology was set up in 2016 to improve cancer care for elderly. Making guidelines of systemic therapy for elderly, we carried out a systematic review of geriatric assessment and 5 diseases; lung cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, breast cancer and hematologic malignancies. This is based on a search method using appropriate clinical questions and keywords. We are now formulating guidelines with a Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system advocated by Minds2014. Minds (Medical Information Network Distribution Service) is an information service provided by the Japan Council for Quality Health Care (JCQHC), a public interest incorporated foundation. The MINDS project has been financially supported by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan. JSMO working group also improves education for all health-care providers cooperating with SIOG. In April 2018, a working group under a Health and Labor Sciences Research Grant will promote the establishment of geriatric oncology in Japan. This working group has 3 missions: (1) To make a practical guidelines for cancer elderly, (2) To encourage and disseminate geriatric oncology in terms of collaboration with oncology and geriatrics, (3) To improve information for the regular population and all health-care providers. Japanese society is moving forward to cope with an increasing number of elderly cancer patients by a team with broad sense consisting of cancer professionals, other health-care providers and government.