GO eNews
The Geriatric Oncology Group is aiming to publish this newsletter twice yearly. Contributions are welcome from any members with an interest in geriatric oncology who would like to share their research, publications or initiatives with colleagues. Please contact cosa@cancer.org.au.
GO eNews July 2016
GO eNews January 2017
GO eNews July 2017
GO eNews January 2018
GO eNews July 2018
COSA 2016 ASM
Video recordings from the Coming of Age: Hot topics in senior oncology session are available here (member-only content)
- Breast Cancer in seniors - Jasotha Sanmugarajah
- Riding the Silver Tsunami at the Gold Coast University Hospital - Amanda Quennell
- It's all in the detail: medication conundrums in the older cancer patient - Michael Powell
- Radiation therapy in older patients with early breast cancer - Claire Phillips
- Managing menopause in breast cancer - Deborah Fenlon
COSA Geriatric Oncology Strategic Planning Day
Geriatric Oncology Strategic Planning Day Report - April 2016 (pdf, 581KB)
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 two 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. For more information visit the Group Activities page.
Cancer Forum
Cancer Forum is the official publication of COSA and Cancer Council Australia, and is Australia’s leading journal for multidisciplinary health professionals working in cancer. The focus of these editions of Cancer Forum is on cancer in the elderly and includes articles written by members of the group. These editions cover geriatric oncology across Australia and internationally, geriatric assessment and interventions, poly pharmacy, cognition and research, as well as other aspects of cancer in the elderly.
November 2013
March 2008
Online learning
eviQ Geriatric Oncology
This online program has been developed for nurses who work with older people affected by cancer and who wish to develop their knowledge and practice skills in geriatric oncology nursing care
ASCO GO Resources on ASCO University
SIOG E-learning modules and webcasts
SIOG Geriatric Oncology articles
Cancer in older people: a tale of two disciplines
Management of cancer in the elderly presents an unprecedented challenge in Australia with the proportion of the population aged over 65 years set to double over the next four decades.
Previous COSA Geriatric Oncology Group Workshops
COSA Geriatric Oncology Workshop 2014
The Geriatric Oncology Group hosted a pre-congress workshop at the 17th Cancer Nurse’s Society of Australia (CNSA) 2014 Winter Congress. The workshop was sponsored by Amgen. Titled ‘Addressing the geriatrics needs of older people with cancer: nurse led strategies’, this workshop supported nurses to think practically about how they could integrate the principles of geriatric oncology into their services current screening and assessment practices. The range of presentations provided nurses with an opportunity to consider the role of these processes in the critical decision making associated with addressing older peoples’ cancer treatment and supportive care needs.
The workshop program provided:
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an overview of the importance of proactively identifying and addressing elderly cancer patients’ specific care needs
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demonstration of how a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and individual screening/assessment tools can assist in identifying the complex care needs of elderly cancer patients who often present with comorbidities
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examples of nurse led screening and assessment and how this can be integrated into current service structures and resources
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an overview of the considerations and impact of treatment on comorbidities, and how quality of life outcomes can influence decision making
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nurses with a practical framework for managing ethical concerns
Geriatric Oncology Clinical Professional Day Workshop 2013
Adequate Assessment: Appropriate Treatment – Practical ways to incorporate geriatric assessment and intervention into the oncology clinic
The aims of this interactive workshop were to:
- Explore the different international and national geriatric oncology operating in a range of settings, including large metropolitan tertiary teaching hospitals through to regional private clinics
- Develop practical strategies to enable integration of geriatric oncology principles into the all cancer care clinical setting
The workshop was facilitated by a local expert with knowledge of the various models of care that already exist in Australia. Visiting international experts were on hand and to provide insight into the development of geriatric oncology services in their country.
Geriatric Oncology Concept Development Day Report 2013
Members of the Geriatric Oncology Group organised a Concept Development Day on Friday 22 March 2013 in Sydney. Jane Phillips (Chair of the Research sub-committee) facilitated the day, which provided a chance for interested clinicians and researchers to present a synopsis of a clinical study in geriatric oncology they would like to develop.
The twenty-six professionals who attended the workshop had backgrounds in study design, bio-statistics, health economics, health service research, nursing, palliative care, psycho-oncology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, consumer perspectives and geriatric medicine. Researchers presented seven proposals on the day, gaining expert feedback on how to improve the content, study design, data collection and recruitment methods, type of intervention and budget of their proposal.
