Megan Sanders, Chief Executive Officer at Thoracic Oncology Group of Australasia, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Last week the Optimal Care Pathway (OPC) for Older People with Cancer was released- link in comments.
The OCP emphasises that older Australians are a highly diverse group – and that age alone should never determine access to information or treatment. It uses the 4Ms framework to guide age-friendly, person-centred care:
- What Matters – honour each person’s goals
- Medication – ensure medicines are safe and appropriate
- Mobility – preserve strength, function and independence
- Mentation – support cognition and mental health
Key principles include:
– Every older person has the right to know all treatment options.
– Geriatric assessment should guide treatment alongside cancer staging.
– Strong, consistent communication between specialists and GPs is essential.
– Older people deserve access to clinical trials, and barriers (including ageism) must be actively addressed.
Coincidentally, we’ve been exploring this space at TOGA as well. With the median age of lung cancer diagnosis at around 72, older Australians make up most of our thoracic cancer population.
Our latest blog unpacks practical tools clinicians can use right now, and our featured podcast covers some real-world applications of tailoring care. Check it out.”
More posts featuring Megan Sanders on OncoDaily.