The Joint BGS, Macmillan and RCR OncoGeriatrics Meeting 2019 was held on 27-28 February 2019 in London attended by clinicians and healthcare professionals working with older people with cancer.
This content is available to BGS members and non-member attendees only.
WEDNESDAY 27 FEBRUARY
Managing diabetes in people with cancer - Prof Tahseen A Chowdhury
Tahseen Chowdhury is a Clinician in the Department of Diabetes and Metabolism at the Royal London Hospital, in the East End of London. He runs a large specialist Diabetes and Metabolism unit, dealing with diabetes particularly amongst the Bangladeshi community of Tower Hamlets. He has a research / clinical interest in diabetes in South Asians and diabetic kidney disease, and has authored over 200 publications, including books entitled “Diabetes in South Asian people: Explained”, “Fatty Liver” and “Diabetes Management in Clinical Practice”. He also runs the metabolism programme for medical students at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London. He qualified from the University of Birmingham and trained in Birmingham and Manchester, before becoming a Consultant Physician in 2000.
Speaker abstract
Diabetes is common amongst patients with cancer, and the co-occurrence of diabetes and cancer may lead to poorer prognosis and higher rates of complications in patients undergoing cancer therapy. There is no randomised trial evidence that treating hyperglycaemia in patients with cancer improves outcomes, and therefore a pragmatic approach to managing hyperglycaemia in such patients is required, with the avoidance of extremes of hypo and hyperglycaemia. In addition, a collaborative approach to management with cancer specialists and palliative care specialists is required. This talk discusses the management of hyperglycaemia in relation to cancer chemotherapy, glucocorticoids, enteral feeding and end of life care, with real life case studies to highlight important issues.
Older patient’s experiences of living with multimorbidity in cancer survivorship - Dr Teresa Corbett
Dr Teresa Corbett is a Research Fellow with NIHR CLAHRC Wessex, based at the University of Southampton. Her research focuses on psychooncology and multimorbidity in cancer survivorship
Complex case mini-MDT - Dr Robin Portner
Dr Robin Portner is a Clinical oncology SpR working at Christie Hospital, Manchester.
Mental capacity assessment and consent in cancer care - Dr Tim Bullock
Dr Tim Bullock is a consultant psychiatrist at West London Mental Health NHS Trust.
Why do we need comprehensive geriatric assessment in cancer care? - Dr Siri Rostof
Siri Rostoft is a medical doctor at Oslo University Hospital, Norway, specialized in internal medicine and geriatric medicine. She completed her PhD about geriatric assessment in older surgical cancer patients in 2011, and works as an assistant professor at the University of Oslo. Her main research interests in geriatric oncology are the clinical importance of geriatric assessment and interventions and frailty. She is a deputy editor for Journal of Geriatric Oncology
THURSDAY 28 FEBRUARY
Can we improve frailty in older cancer patients? - Prof Finbarr Martin
Finbarr Martin was consultant geriatrician at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (London) until 2016, working in and developing a broad range of acute and community clinical services. He was awarded a personal chair in Medical Gerontology at King’s College London in 2011 and remains active in academic and policy work, with particular interest in the clinical management and improving the health service provision related to geriatric syndromes of falls, frailty and delirium.. He was president of the British Geriatrics Society 2010-12, a non-executive director of NICE 2013-2016, and is currently president of the European Geriatric Medicine Society.
Speaker abstract
- Frailty is common and associated with more toxicity and poorer clinical outcomes
- Identifying frailty is insufficient information to justify abandoning optimal oncological therapies
- Identifying frailty could be used to trigger a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA)
- CGA with optimisation can impact clinical outcomes, but may not change the frailty status, depending upon the definition adopted.
Modifying chemotherapy for the older patient - Dr Nicolò Battisti
Dr Nicolò Matteo Luca Battisti is a medical oncologist and Clinical Research Fellow in the Breast Unit of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. He spent the last year of his specialist training with Dr Martine Extermann at the Senior Adult Oncology Program of the Moffitt Cancer Centre of Tampa, FL, USA. His geriatric oncology research focuses on breast cancer, chemotherapy toxicity prediction and the validity of evidence. He authored two book chapters in the field of geriatric oncology. He is Chair of the Young Interest Group of the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG).
Management of bladder and bowel during and after cancer treatments - Dr Naomi Farrington
Dr Naomi Farrington is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Chemotherapy (Trainee) at University Hospital Southampton NHSFT, and an NIHR/HEE Clinical Lecturer at the University of Southampton. Her previous research has focused on continence management in people with cancer, and current projects include multimorbidity in older cancer survivors and investigating cancer services for people with dementia.
Speaker abstract
This session will discuss the management of bladder and bowel problems caused by cancer and treatment. Particular attention will be paid to:
- Use of the urinary catheter
- Bladder and bowel management in palliative caree
- Continence management resources for healthcare professionals
Cancer treatment decision-making in dementia - Dr Lorna McWilliams
Dr Lorna McWilliams is a postdoctoral Research Associate within the School of Health Sciences at University of Manchester. She is based in the Manchester Centre for Health Psychology and collaborates with the Christie Patient Centred Research (CPCR) group at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. Her research focuses on cancer prevention, early detection and the impact of co-morbidities on cancer treatment decision making.
Speaker abstract
Using exploratory research completed at a tertiary cancer treatment centre as a foundation, the session will discuss: importance of detailed information at initial oncology MDTs for people with a diagnosis of dementia; impact of cancer treatment decisions on people with dementia and caregiver/family member considerations during capacity to consent assessments
Complex case mini-MDT - Dr Mark White
Dr Mark White is an ST3 in medical oncology at Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.
Rehabilitation for cancer-related cognitive changes - Ms Jennifer Cameron
Jennifer Cameron is a Specialist Occupational Therapist at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow. Professional interests include chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy, fatigue management and cognitive rehabilitation. Jennifer developed the first AHP (Allied Health Professional) led out-patient clinic within the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. She is also a member of the Specialist Section (OPC - Oncology and Palliative Care) within the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
Speaker Abstract
- Background of cancer-related cognitive changes (CRCC)
- How healthcare professionals can support people experiencing CRCC
- Cognitive Rehabilitation strategies used with service users and their relatives/carers
Multimorbidty in cancer care - Prof Margot Gosney
Professor Margot Gosney is a Consultant In Elderly Care Medicine at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust and a Professor at the University of Reading. Her research focuses on poor nutrion in older people and strategies to improve food quality and nutritional intake.
De-prescribing in older cancer patients - Prof Nina Barnett
Nina Barnett is a Consultant Pharmacist with a proven track record in both strategic an operational development relating to clinical pharmacy and clinical leadership in the area of older people. Nina has developed and delivered MSc modules in care of older people at various London Universities and designed and delivered health coaching training to clinicians to support person-centred care. She has pioneered the use of coaching in pharmacy and, with colleagues, designed a patient centred process for managing polypharmacy and deprescribing. She is a national leader in use of person-centred approaches to medicines-related patient care, publishing internationally in a variety of specialities.
Speaker abstract
- Deprescribing in older people – background, prevalence, policy and strategy
- Deprescribing in older cancer patients – prevalence, added complexity and issues, tools used to support deprescribing in the cancer setting
- Examples of deprescribing in older cancer patients – mini cases to illustrate what can be deprescribed and how to monitor
- Suggestions for future research in this area?
Endocrine complications of cancer treatments - Dr Claire Higham
Doctor Claire Higham undertook a physiology degree and DPhil at Merton College, Oxford followed by completion of her medical training at Royal Free/University College London. Her junior doctor training was in London followed by higher specialist training in Manchester including a 3 year clinical research fellowship at Christie Hospital. Claire became an Endocrine consultant at the Christie in 2012.
Speaker abstract
Endocrine complications of cancer treatments in the older population will cover:
- Glucocorticoids – what to watch out for
- Immunotherapies and emerging endocrinopathies
- What to do with sodium
