SIOG USA Forum 2015: Bridging the Gap to Optimizing Management of Cancer in the Elderly

The United States is facing a crisis in how to deliver cancer care, as the baby boomers reach their tumor-prone years and doctors have a hard time keeping up with the complex new treatments. The risk of cancer increases with age, and older adults account for just over half of the 1.6 million new cases diagnosed each year. By 2030, new diagnoses are expected to reach 2.3 million a year as the population ages. The average 65 year old person can expect to live another 15 years and remain functionally independent for the majority of that time. Thus, the number of older cancer patients is expected to increase dramatically. Currently, it is estimated that 50% of all cancers and 70% of cancer mortality occur in this age group. Perhaps a bigger concern is the growing complexity of care. Increasingly, scientists are finding genetic differences inside tumors that are helping to tailor cancer treatment based on the specific needs of individual patients.

Integrating geriatric principals into routine oncology care to optimize treatment outcomes and reduce impairment of older cancer patients is becoming increasingly more important.

This unique annual forum will enable participants to determine the best available therapeutic combinations for individual elderly cancer patients, consider the appropriate treatment strategy for your patients and present you with potential changes in practice to address your currently clinical practice gaps.

The program’s faculty will include geriatric oncologists and experts in various tumor types. The format will include didactic presentations integrated with intense discussion regarding real cases prepared by the faculty.