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133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA |
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Mary Grace Pagaduan, MPH, Edward Ciborowski, CSW, MLS, and Hildy Dillon, MPH. Information Resource Center, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 1311 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605, 914-821-8868, pagaduanm@lls.org
Published studies report that older cancer patients are significantly underrepresented in cancer clinical trials. Currently patients 65 and older comprise 65% of the U.S. cancer population. According to recent published data, this population only represents 36% of the cancer clinical trial population. As life expectancy in this country increases, the elderly population continues to grow.
Studies have indicated that many older patients can be effectively managed through chemotherapy treatments. However, it is also noted that older cancer patients continue to be at risk of a poor prognosis and/or poor quality of life due to co-morbidities and their inability to tolerate toxic cancer therapies. It is critical that the representation of older patients in clinical trials is increased to develop therapies that will improve their quality of life and outcomes.
The purpose of this presentation is to highlight programs and services developed by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to address the growing need of older patients with hematological cancers to have better access to clinical trials and treatments. Some of these programs are offered nationally through technology while others are delivered in the community by the Society's 63 chapters. Evaluation data of these programs will be offered including preliminary data on two new Society community education programs that target this population. One program includes a tool that helps identify older patients' capacity to benefit from and tolerate cancer treatment.
These programs aim to encourage older blood cancer patients' access to necessary care and address poor participation in clinical trials.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Cancer, Clinical Trials
Related Web page: www.lls.org
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.
The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA