Publications by authors named "Boulahssass R"
Purpose: To gather information from clinicians on how geriatric oncology models of care have emerged in different European countries and describe current practice in this clinical area.
Methods: A semi-structured online interview was performed, exploring aspects related to implementation, perceived quality of care, and professional satisfaction.
Results: The centers participating in this interview showed significant differences in terms of resource allocation, team members, components of the comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA), and CGA-driven interventions.
Article Synopsis
- The study looked at health literacy (HL) in cancer patients aged 65 and older compared to those aged 18-64 in France.
- It found that older patients used digital tools less often and had lower HL scores than younger patients.
- The results suggest that it's really important for doctors to pay attention to health literacy so they can help patients understand their health better, especially those who may struggle with it.
Background: The results of the PRODIGE 42/GERICO 12 study showed that short course radiotherapy had a better tolerance profile than radiochemotherapy, with comparable oncological results. We have included Quality of Life analyses and oncogeriatric evaluations in this study.
Patients And Methods: In all, 101 patients ≥75 years of age with resectable T3-T4 rectal adenocarcinoma less than 12 cm from the anal margin received short course radiotherapy (5X5 Gy in one week) or radiochemotherapy (50 Gy, 2 y/f and capecitabine 800 mg/m, 5 days/week) with delayed surgery (7 weeks ± 1) in both groups.
Introduction: The Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations include a commitment to "leave no one behind" as a universal goal. To achieve this in geriatric oncology (GO) worldwide, it is important to understand the current state of GO at an international level. The International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) has several National Representatives (NRs) who act as SIOG's delegates in their respective countries.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The best platinum-based chemotherapy regimen remains to be determined in elderly patients treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Predictive indexes for toxicity and survival are also needed to give the safest and most effective treatment for this population.
Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study.
Introduction: To compare robotic assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in well-selected older patients with clinically localized prostate cancer, compared to a younger population. Primary endpoint was perioperative outcomes comparison and secondary endpoint were oncological and functional outcomes comparison to a younger population.
Methods: Single tertiary center cohort of consecutive patients treated with RARP (2017-2020) with retrospective analysis.
Background: We have done a systematic literature review about CRC Screening over 75 years old in order to update knowledge and make recommendations.
Methods: PUBMED database was searched in October 2021 for articles published on CRC screening in the elderly, and generated 249 articles. Further searches were made to find articles on the acceptability, efficacy, and harms of screening in this population, together with the state of international guidelines.
Purpose: To analyze the oncological outcome in elderly (>70 years) prostate cancer after high-dose rate brachytherapy (HDB) boost.
Materials/methods: In this retrospective study, patients with intermediate (IR) and high-risk (HR) prostate cancer underwent external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) followed by HDB boost with/without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The impact of age (≤70y vs.
Fatigue is a highly prevalent symptom in both cancer patients and the older population, and it contributes to quality-of-life impairment. Cancer treatment-related fatigue should thus be included in the risk/benefit assessment when introducing any treatment, but tools are lacking to a priori estimate such risk. This scoping review was designed to report the current evidence regarding the frequency of fatigue for the different treatment regimens proposed for the main cancer indications, with a specific focus on age-specific data, for the following tumors: breast, ovary, prostate, urothelium, colon, lung and lymphoma.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe growing incidence of cancer associated with an aging population implies important health challenges that require questioning on the care management of older adults with cancer. There is a need to rethink the care management of older cancer patients with patient-centered decisions and an adjustment of the care pathway for this population. The Priorities Age Cancer (PAC) French group, made up of physicians, pharmacists and researchers in geriatric oncology, set up proposals to answer this need.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To analyze the literature that addresses radiation therapy for intermediate and high-risk prostate cancer (PC) in the elderly.
Patients And Methods: A PubMed literature search was conducted including articles from 01/01/2000 to 30/06/21, with the following keywords: PC, radiotherapy/brachytherapy and elderly. The analysis mainly focused on the issue of under-treatment in the elderly and the benefit/risk balance of irradiation.
Introduction: Patients ≥ 70 years old constitute 40% of patients with advanced gastric cancer (GC). Ramucirumab plus Paclitaxel is a therapeutic option validated in the second-line treatment of advanced GC, but as older patients are at higher risk of severe toxicity, due to comorbidities and/or frailty, we aimed to evaluate second-line Ramucirumab alone or combined with Paclitaxel in terms of overall survival (OS) and quality of life (QoL) in patients ≥ 70 years-old with advanced GC.
Methods: In this multicenter, randomized, open-label, non-comparative, prospective phase II clinical trial, the main inclusion criteria are: patients ≥ 70 years old, with advanced GC having progressed after first-line chemotherapy or in the six months following the last administration of adjuvant chemotherapy, with WHO performance status <2.
Article Synopsis
- * A French multidisciplinary task force reviewed studies from 2010 to 2021 and focused on three key considerations for older patients regarding TKI treatment options.
- * Recommendations include using osimertinib for patients with EGFR mutations, considering full-dose first-generation TKIs, and emphasizing the need to evaluate a patient's overall health, including malnutrition and comorbidities, before starting treatment.
Article Synopsis
- A study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of cachexia (a condition involving significant weight loss) in older cancer patients, as well as its impact on 6-month mortality rates.
- The research surveyed 1,030 patients aged 70 and older across 55 geriatric oncology clinics in France, revealing that over half of the participants (52%) met the criteria for cachexia.
- Factors linked to higher rates of cachexia included specific cancer types (like colorectal cancer), prior surgeries, presence of metastases, poor performance status, low food intake, cognitive issues, and potential depression, with those having cachexia experiencing a higher mortality risk within 6 months.
Purpose: Breast cancer in the elderly has become a public health concern; there is a need to re-design its treatment with a view to de-escalation. Our paper sets out the rationale for a phase 3 randomized trial to evaluate less burdensome adjuvant procedures that remain effective and efficient.
Materials And Methods: For low-risk breast cancer in the elderly, adjuvant treatment has been adjusted in order to make it more suitable and efficient.
Objectives: The SiFEBI trial demonstrated that a post-operative Multicatheter Interstitial Brachytherapy (MIB) appears feasible and with acceptable toxicity in older adults aged 70 years and older presenting with low-risk breast cancer. The aim of the present ancillary study was to analyze the quality of life and Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) domains within 6 months in older adults receiving Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) using a single fraction of MIB.
Materials And Methods: From 11/2012 to 09/2014, 37 patients were included and 26 were evaluable.
Purpose: Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) represents a validated technique for low-risk breast cancer. Recently, ultra-APBI (uAPBI) using fewer than 5 fractions was described in the literature. We compared clinical outcomes and late toxicity after APBI or uAPBI in older patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of a very-accelerated partial breast irradiation (vAPBI) in the elderly based on a single fraction of multicatheter interstitial high-dose rate brachytherapy (MIB). Mature results with a median follow-up of 5 years.
Methods And Materials: From November 2012 to September 2014, 26 patients (pts) (≥70) with early breast cancer were enrolled in a prospective phase II trial (NCT01727011).
Purpose: Older patients with colon cancer (CC) are vulnerable to chemotherapy toxicity and death. Establishing simple scores specific for patients with CC to predict severe chemotoxicity or early death is needed to select the best treatment strategy.
Subjects, Materials, And Methods: This prospective multicenter study included patients aged ≥70 years with CC receiving adjuvant or first-line metastatic chemotherapy.
Background: Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), is used in older patients with cancer to identify frailties, which can interfere with specialized treatment, and to help with therapeutic care. Functional Status (FS) is a domain of CGA in which Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) are evaluation tools.
Objective: Our study reviewed the data available on the most frequently used tools to assess ADL and IADL in a geriatric oncology setting and their predictive values on overall survival (OS), toxicity, treatment feasibility or decision and postoperative complications.
Todays challenge in geriatric oncology is to screen patients who need geriatric follow-up. The main goal of this study was to analyze factors that identify patients, in a large cohort of patients with solid tumors, who need more geriatric interventions and therefore specific follow-up. Between April 2012 and May 2018, 3530 consecutive patients were enrolled in the PACA EST cohort (France).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Social isolation potentiates the risk of death by cancer in the older cancer patient population. The PREDOMOS study investigates the impact of establishing a Program of Social intervention associated with techniques of Domotic and Remote assistance on the improvement of quality of life of older isolated patients, treated for locally advanced or metastatic cancer. This paper updates the pilot trial protocol.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Predicting early death after a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is very difficult in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to develop a scoring system to estimate risk of death at 100 days in elderly cancer patients to assist the therapeutic decision.
Methods: This was a multicentric, prospective cohort study approved by an ethics committee.