Missed Opportunities in Geriatric Oncology Research

Abstract

The field of geriatric oncology has made significant progress in recent decades, but there are still missed opportunities in important areas of research. One issue is the underrepresentation of older patients, especially those aged 75 years and older, in clinical trials. This has resulted in a lack of high-quality data for the care of this population, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology has called for an increase in the evidence base for older patients with cancer. The second missed opportunity is the chance to gather important knowledge from older patients participating in clinical trials, such as medications, social support, insurance, and financial information. These data can be easily collected and incorporated into the trial design to enhance the information available to researchers and clinicians. The third missed opportunity is the chance to robustly analyze and report clinical trial data for the benefit of geriatric oncology research. Many trials only report a median age and range, which is a disservice to both the participants and the patients who will be treated based on the study results. To advance geriatric oncology research, the necessary data need to be collected, analyzed, and reported through appropriate representation of older patients, collection of essential information, and thorough analysis and communication of results. Clinical trial design needs to include geriatric baseline parameters, and Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP) has modified its template to include these parameters.

Keywords: clinical trials; data analysis; data reporting; geriatric oncology; medical oncology.