Cindy Kenis1, Pieter Heeren2, Dominique Bron3, Lore Decoster4, Ramona Moor5, Thierry Pepersack6, Christine Langenaeken7, Marika Rasschaert8, Guy Jerusalem9, Ruud Van Rijswijk10, Jean-Pierre Lobelle11, Johan Flamaing12, Koen Milisen13, Hans Wildiers14. 1. Department of General Medical Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Geriatric Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. 2. Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Health Services and Nursing Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. 3. Department of Hematology, ULB Institut Bordet, Brussels, Belgium. 4. Department of Medical Oncology, Oncologisch Centrum, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium. 5. Department of Medical Oncology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, UCL, Brussels, Belgium. 6. Department of Geriatric Medicine, University Hospital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium. 7. Department of Medical Oncology, Iridium Cancer Network Antwerp, AZ Klina, Brasschaat, Belgium. 8. Department of Medical Oncology, Iridium Cancer Network Antwerp, St. Augustinus, Wilrijk, Belgium. 9. Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sart Tilman, Liege, Belgium. 10. Department of Medical Oncology, ZNA Stuivenberg, Antwerp, Belgium. 11. Consultant in Statistics, Beernem, Belgium. 12. Department of Geriatric Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. 13. Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Health Services and Nursing Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Geriatric Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. 14. Department of General Medical Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: hans.wildiers@uzleuven.be.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to identify treating physicians' general experiences and expectations regarding geriatric assessment (GA) in older patients with cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey was carried out in 9 Belgian hospitals, which participated in a national GA implementation project focusing on older patients with cancer. A newly developed questionnaire was completed by their treating physicians. Data collection comprised of reviewing hospital data, general respondent data, and treating physicians' general experiences and expectations regarding GA. Descriptive statistics were calculated. RESULTS: Eighty-two physicians from 9 hospitals participated. The GA team composition can vary substantially, with a nurse as core member. Ideally, all older patients with cancer in whom a treatment decision is necessary, should benefit from the GA. Nearly all GA domains are reported as very important. Availability of GA results can be improved. Treating physicians want geriatricians to coordinate geriatric recommendations related to the identified GA problems, and expect from trained healthcare workers (THCWs) to collect GA data, to report GA results, and to follow-up the implementation of geriatric recommendations. CONCLUSION: This study identifies relevant information for improving the implementation of GA in older patients with cancer in Belgium and reveals priorities for a THCW from the treating physician's point of view. To increase the effectiveness of GA, further efforts are needed to improve the implementation of geriatric recommendations.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to identify treating physicians' general experiences and expectations regarding geriatric assessment (GA) in older patients with cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey was carried out in 9 Belgian hospitals, which participated in a national GA implementation project focusing on older patients with cancer. A newly developed questionnaire was completed by their treating physicians. Data collection comprised of reviewing hospital data, general respondent data, and treating physicians' general experiences and expectations regarding GA. Descriptive statistics were calculated. RESULTS: Eighty-two physicians from 9 hospitals participated. The GA team composition can vary substantially, with a nurse as core member. Ideally, all older patients with cancer in whom a treatment decision is necessary, should benefit from the GA. Nearly all GA domains are reported as very important. Availability of GA results can be improved. Treating physicians want geriatricians to coordinate geriatric recommendations related to the identified GA problems, and expect from trained healthcare workers (THCWs) to collect GA data, to report GA results, and to follow-up the implementation of geriatric recommendations. CONCLUSION: This study identifies relevant information for improving the implementation of GA in older patients with cancer in Belgium and reveals priorities for a THCW from the treating physician's point of view. To increase the effectiveness of GA, further efforts are needed to improve the implementation of geriatric recommendations.
Authors: Dominique Bron; Igor Aurer; Marc P E André; Christophe Bonnet; Dolores Caballero; Claire Falandry; Eva Kimby; Pierre Soubeyran; Emanuele Zucca; Andre Bosly; Bertrand Coiffier Journal: Haematologica Date: 2017-06 Impact factor: 9.941
Authors: C Kenis; P Heeren; L Decoster; K Van Puyvelde; G Conings; F Cornelis; P Cornette; R Moor; S Luce; Y Libert; R Van Rijswijk; G Jerusalem; M Rasschaert; C Langenaeken; A Baitar; P Specenier; K Geboers; K Vandenborre; P R Debruyne; K Vanoverbeke; H Van den Bulck; J-P Praet; C Focan; V Verschaeve; N Nols; J-C Goeminne; B Petit; J-P Lobelle; J Flamaing; K Milisen; H Wildiers Journal: J Nutr Health Aging Date: 2016-01 Impact factor: 4.075
Authors: S Yilmaz; M C Janelsins; M Flannery; E Culakova; M Wells; P-J Lin; K P Loh; R Epstein; C Kamen; A S Kleckner; S A Norton; S Plumb; S Alberti; K Doyle; M Porto; M Weber; N Dukelow; A Magnuson; L A Kehoe; G Nightingale; M Jensen-Battaglia; K M Mustian; S G Mohile Journal: J Geriatr Oncol Date: 2022-03-12 Impact factor: 3.929
Authors: William Dale; Grant R Williams; Amy R MacKenzie; Enrique Soto-Perez-de-Celis; Ronald J Maggiore; Janette K Merrill; Sweatha Katta; Kimberly T Smith; Heidi D Klepin Journal: JCO Oncol Pract Date: 2020-10-15