Abstract
In November of 2011, an international group of leaders met to discuss how to improve
evidence in geriatric oncology at the meeting of the International Society of Geriatric
Oncology (SIOG) held in Paris, France. A recommendation from the conference participants
was to develop and implement observational cohort studies to increase evidence on
the efficacy and safety of cancer treatment in older adults. An observational cohort
study is a study that prospectively follows a group of individuals who have specific
features in common over a defined period of time. Rigorous observational cohort studies
can complement randomized controlled trial (RCT) data with information on efficacy,
safety, and patient compliance with cancer treatment in a population of “real-world”
patients. Well-designed observational cohort studies could be extremely valuable for
gathering evidence on the efficacy and safety of cancer treatments, including those
that are already available, in older adults in a more cost-effective and timely way
than RCTs. Funding mechanisms through the National Institutes on Health, foundations,
and European funding agencies devoted specifically to developing high impact observational
cohort studies in geriatric oncology would help to provide evidence for a significant
proportion of older patients over a short period of time.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 24, 2012
Accepted:
April 30,
2012
Received:
April 30,
2012
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
