Improve the Quality of Life of older cancer patients

Expected Outcome: Proposals under this topic should aim to deliver results that are directed and tailored towards and contribute to the following expected outcomes: Improved understanding of care needs of older patients with cancer and approaches to address them; Older cancer patients gain access to innovative age-specific approaches and tools better tailored to their care needs; National healthcare providers, policymakers and authorities in European regions, EU Member States and Associated Countries have the evidence to implement tailored care for older cancer patients that have the potential to be implemented in routine treatment and follow-up care in their healthcare systems; Scope: This topic contributes to the EU Cancer Mission’s objective to improve quality of life of cancer patients. The focus is on cancer patients aged 65 years and above. Currently, older cancer patients represent the largest proportion of cancer patients especially in Europe, with more than two thirds of new cancer cases being diagnosed in patients above the age of 65. Yet, there is still relatively little knowledge about their functional health and care needs during and after treatment. Managing cancer in older patients is complex, due to the high heterogeneity in terms of their intrinsic health capacities, including mental health and cognitive capacities, comorbidities, frailty etc. as well as with regard to their performance activities including social interactions, work, mobility etc. Consequently, overall health care needs of older patients with cancer vary significantly. Older cancer patients are consistently underrepresented in clinical research, with representation declining progressively with increasing age. This leads to a lack of knowledge regarding treatments, specific needs, and clinical endpoints. Older patients are also particularly vulnerable to treatment toxicities loss of muscle mass, and may experience a large variety of confounding comorbidities and symptoms, which strongly impact their quality of life during and after treatment. As such, quality of life expectations should be systematically factored in the decision process to define the optimal approach to cancer management. The overall goal of this topic is to advance the understanding of older cancer patients' care needs, and develop innovative, age-sensitive care approaches and tools to boost overall quality of life. In particular: Building on data from existing or newly established cohorts provide a thorough assessment of QoL needs and relevant dimensions in older patients, taking into account aspects su…