Current Activities

The Geriatric Oncology Group Strategic Planning Day was held in Sydney in April 2016, bringing together leaders in the field of geriatric oncology from around Australia with interests encompassing medical oncology, geriatrics, nursing, pharmacy and palliative care. 

This day provided the opportunity for the Group to review its achievements and seek agreement on future directions. Consensus was reached on the importance of focussing on 2 key areas: progressing a geriatric oncology research agenda and developing geriatric oncology clinical guidelines/guidance statements. These will both serve as vehicles for improving outcomes for older Australians with cancer, and working groups have been formed to progress these priorities.

Research Concept Development 

Please contact cosa@cancer.org.au for further details on the next round.

Background

The Geriatric Oncology Research Working Group has been established to develop research capacity, collaborative networks and strategic direction to increase the quality and quantity of geriatric oncology research in Australia.

To support this, the Working Group has developed a research concept development initiative, whereby "workshops-by-teleconference" are convened as a forum to provide mentorship, capacity building and collaborative peer review.

Three 'workshops-by-teleconference' have now been hosted and the working group plans to offer this opportunity twice-yearly.  

The teleconference 'workshop' format has proved to work well and facilitate a good spirit of conversation and peer support, resulting in practical and tangible feedback. Participants have agreed it has been valuable talking amongst colleagues with similar interests, to hear about what others were doing, and to learn of potential future opportunities to collaborate.

The Research Concept Development Process

The research concept application template is provided here for reference (doc). 

Clinicians and researchers submit a synopsis of a clinical study they would like to develop or are in the process of testing.  Proposals are provided to experts for independent review and selected applicants will be invited to join a workshop-style teleconference.  At the teleconference applicants have the opportunity to present and discuss their studies with reviewers, who provide input to help refine each concept into a feasible research proposal. 

Guideline Development 
The Geriatric Oncology Guidelines Development Working Group is working to develop guidelines/practice points to help improve the clinical management of older adults with cancer in Australia. The guidelines will aim to provide Australian health professionals with access to an overview of recommended practices to optimise older adults cancer care experiences and outcomes. They will focus on the practices required to ensure that older people newly diagnosed with cancer have access to optimal cancer care, experience minimal side-effects and that they and their carers have access to the care and support that they require to optimise their cancer treatment.

The working group is currently developing the guideline framework and plans to draw upon the multidisciplinary skills, interests and expertise of COSA members throughout the development process.

Information sharing 
You will receive information about this Group's activities if you have selected Geriatric Oncology as a Group or Area of Interest under your COSA membership profile.

If you would like to get involved with Group activities, or contribute information about your research, publications or activities to a future issue of GO eNews, please contact cosa@cancer.org.au