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Cancer presents unique challenges to Older
Patients
Newswise — Managing a cancer diagnosis is
difficult for any patient but it can be
especially challenging for the older
population.
“Approximately 60 percent of cancer
diagnoses and 70 percent of cancer
mortalities occur in patients over the age
of 65,” said Rodrigo Erlich, M.D., a medical
oncologist at Geisinger Wyoming Valley
Medical Center.
“Despite the high proportion of elderly
cancer patients, treatment for older
patients is often difficult and very
different than treatment for younger
patients.”
The older patient traditionally is
contending with other health issues, is
taking multiple medications, and is
struggling to live independently, Dr. Erlich
said. These factors complicate the process
of developing a treatment plan to combat the
cancer.
Treatments can include combinations of
surgery, drugs, radiation therapy and
chemotherapy, but these processes may have
side effects that can affect the physical
and mental health of this population.
“Open discussions between geriatric patients
and their physicians regarding treatment
goals and options can help both sides work
through the issues as they devise a
treatment plan,” said Dr. Erlich.
Dr. Erlich and his colleague, Syed M. Kalim,
M.D., a hematologist and medical oncologist
at Geisinger Wyoming Valley, are developing
a geriatric cancer program to help provide
specialized care to older cancer patients.
The program will allow patients to meet with
a medical oncologist, a geriatrician, a
social worker and a nutritionist, all of
whom will work together to develop a
comprehensive treatment and management plan.
This customized plan will then be presented
and discussed with the patient, the
patient’s family and the patient’s primary
physician before treatment begins.
The program, which Drs. Erlich and Kalim
plan to launch in the next few months, will
be the only comprehensive care program in
Northeast Pennsylvania designed specifically
for senior cancer patients.
“We are extremely excited about developing a
geriatric oncology program, and providing
the older population with optimal cancer
care that is tailored to their special
needs,” Dr. Erlich said.
About Geisinger Health System
Founded in 1915, Geisinger Health System
(Danville, Pa.) is one of the nation’s
largest integrated health services
organizations.
Serving more than two million residents
throughout central and northeastern
Pennsylvania, the physician-led organization
is at the forefront of the country's rapidly
emerging electronic health records movement.
Geisinger is comprised of two medical center
campuses, three hospitals, a 740-member
group practice, a not-for-profit health
insurance company and the Henry Hood Center
for Health Research—dedicated to creating
innovative new models for patient care,
satisfaction and clinical outcomes. For more
information, visit www.geisinger.org
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