End-of-Life Care in the Last Three Months before Death in Older Patients with Cancer in Belgium: A Large Retrospective Cohort Study Using Data Linkage.

This study aims to describe end-of-life (EOL) care in older patients with cancer and investigate the association between geriatric assessment (GA) results and specialized palliative care (SPC) use. Older patients with a new cancer diagnosis (2009-2015) originally included in a previous multicentric study were selected if they died before the end of follow-up (2019). At the time of cancer diagnosis, patients underwent geriatric screening with Geriatric 8 (G8) followed by GA in case of a G8 score ≤14/17.

Long-term health-care utilisation in older patients with cancer and the association with the Geriatric 8 screening tool: a retrospective analysis using linked clinical and population-based data in Belgium.

Background: Little evidence is available on the long-term health-care utilisation of older patients with cancer and whether this is associated with geriatric screening results. We aimed to evaluate long-term health-care utilisation among older patients after cancer diagnosis and the association with baseline Geriatric 8 (G8) screening results.

Methods: For this retrospective analysis, we included data from three cohort studies for patients (aged ≥70 years) with a new cancer diagnosis who underwent G8 screening between Oct 19, 2009 and Feb 27, 2015, and who survived more than 3 months after G8 screening.

Linking clinical and population-based data in older patients with cancer in Belgium: Feasibility and clinical outcomes.

Introduction: Geriatric screening and geriatric assessment (GS/GA) have proven their benefits in the care for older patients with cancer. However, less is known about the predictive value of GS/GA for outcomes. To research this, clinical data on GS/GA can be enriched with population-based data.

Incidence of falls and fall-related injuries and their predictive factors in frail older persons with cancer: a multicenter study.

Background: Falls and fall-related injuries are a major public health problem. Data on falls in older persons with cancer is limited and robust data on falls within those with a frailty profile are missing. The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence and predictive factors for falls and fall-related injuries in frail older persons with cancer.

Functional status in older patients with cancer and a frailty risk profile: A multicenter observational study.

Introduction: Functional status (FS) and frailty are significant concerns for older adults, especially those with cancer. Data on FS (Activities of Daily Living [ADL]; Instrumental Activities of Daily Living [IADL]) and its evolution during cancer treatment in older patients and a frailty risk profile are scarce. Therefore, this study examines FS and its evolution in older patients with cancer and a frailty risk profile and investigates characteristics associated with functional decline.

Prospective non-interventional BELOVA/BGOG-ov16 study on safety of frontline bevacizumab in elderly patients with FIGO stage IV ovarian cancer: a study of the Belgian and Luxembourg Gynaecological Oncology Group.

Objective: Because elderly patients with ovarian cancer are underrepresented in randomized studies, this study aimed to expand our knowledge on the safety and effectiveness of frontline treatment with bevacizumab in combination with standard carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy in patients aged 70 years and older with a diagnosis of Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IV ovarian cancer in routine clinical practice in Belgium.

Methods: Patients aged 70 years and older with FIGO stage IV ovarian cancer were included in a multicenter, non-interventional prospective studyto evaluate the safety and effectiveness of treatment with bevacizumab in combination with frontline carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy. Comprehensive geriatric assessments were performed at baseline and during treatment.

Unplanned hospitalizations in older patients with cancer: Occurrence and predictive factors.

Background: This study aims to investigate the occurrence of unplanned hospitalizations in older patients with cancer and to determine predictive factors.

Methods: A prospective Belgian multicentre (n = 22), observational cohort study was performed. Patients ≥70 years with a malignant tumor were included.

The added value of geriatric assessment in evaluating a patient's Health-Related Quality-of-Life: A study in ≥70-year-old early-stage invasive breast cancer patients.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between geriatric assessment (GA) and health-related Quality-of-Life (HRQOL) in older patients with breast cancer.

Methods: Patients were assigned either to adjuvant chemotherapy (CTG) or to a control group (CG). Spearman rank coefficients (ρ) calculated correlations between HRQOL and GA at baseline, 3 months and 1 year.

Bone metastasis is associated with poor prognosis in metastatic papillary renal cell carcinoma patients treated with first agent angiogenesis inhibitors.

Objective: Papillary renal cell carcinoma (papRCC) is a rare (10%-15%) subtype of renal cancer. Few prognostic biomarkers have been described in metastatic papRCC (m-papRCC) patients treated with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGFR-TKIs). We aimed to study the prognostic impact of bone metastases (BM) on response rate, progression-free and overall survival (PFS and OS) in patients with m-papRCC treated with first agent VEGFR-TKIs.

The prognostic value of patient-reported Health-Related Quality of Life and Geriatric Assessment in predicting early death in 6769 older (≥70 years) patients with different cancer tumors.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the prognostic value of baseline Health-Related Quality Of Life (HRQOL) and geriatric assessment (GA) to predict three-month mortality in older patients with cancer undergoing treatment.

Methods: Logistic regressions analysed HRQOL, as measured with the EORTC Global Health Status (GHS) scale, and geriatric information prognostic for early mortality controlling for oncology variables. The assessment was established with the odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI) and level of significance set at p < 0.

Brief Report on 3-Weekly Paclitaxel Carboplatin Efficacy in Locally Advanced or Metastatic Squamous Vulvar Cancer.

In this brief report, we present our experience with 3-weekly paclitaxel-carboplatin chemotherapy for patients with vulvar cancer. Two patients with locally advanced disease had an impressive response allowing standard vulvar cancer surgery. One patient with metastatic disease had local stable disease though it was progressive in the lymph nodes.

The impact of adjuvant chemotherapy in older breast cancer patients on clinical and biological aging parameters.

Purpose: This prospective observational study aimed to evaluate the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy on biological and clinical markers of aging and frailty.

Methods: Women ≥ 70 years old with early breast cancer were enrolled after surgery and assigned to a chemotherapy (Docetaxel and Cyclophosphamide) group (CTG, n=57) or control group (CG, n=52) depending on their planned adjuvant treatment. Full geriatric assessment (GA) and Quality of Life (QoL) were evaluated at inclusion (T0), after 3 months (T1) and at 1 year (T2).

Phase II study of weekly paclitaxel/carboplatin in combination with prophylactic G-CSF in the treatment of gynecologic cancers: A study in 108 patients by the Belgian Gynaecological Oncology Group.

Objective: To investigate the addition of prophylactic G-CSF to each weekly paclitaxel/carboplatin course in patients with recurrent platinum-resistant ovarian (OC), or recurrent or advanced endometrial (EC) or cervical carcinoma (CC).

Methods: 108 patients were enrolled i.e.