Sushmita Sen, Global Medical Scientific Alliances of Oncology and Hematology of Roche, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“The party continues in Belgium with the SIOG – International Society of Geriatric Oncology Annual Conference in Gent!
How do we ensure older adults are true partners in oncology research?
I’m still buzzing from a stimulating SPAR Croundtable discussion on ‘Partnering with Older Adults in Oncology Research: Engagement, Endpoints and Design’ that took place yesterday at SIOG 2025. The roundtable discussion brought together patient advocates, clinicians, researchers, regulators, and industry to address how we can move beyond inclusion to genuine partnership.
It was an honor to contribute to the dialogue and share thoughts on how the industry is partnering with patients to improve Representativeness in clinical research. Great energy, excellent questions, and inspiring co-panelists.
A few key points that resonated with me:
- Engagement: Older adults are a heterogeneous group of individuals with unique needs. We need to stop ‘assuming’ and start ‘engaging’ with them directly to design components of research and care that align with their preferences.
- Endpoints: OS and PFS are not always the endpoints older adults care about. We must consider utilising patient experience data to capture relevant endpoints both for regulatory and clinical decision making.
- Design: There is no one trial design that can solve for lack of data on older adults in oncology trials. We must consider both trials that are specifically dedicated to older adults and cohorts in pivotal trials that include older/comorbid patients. The design of the trial should facilitate participation and not create additional burden for patients.
Most importantly, Collaboration will be key to redefine research design for better care for older adults with cancer.
A hearty congratulations to SIOG – International Society of Geriatric Oncology for celebrating their 25th Anniversary.”
You can also find the “27 Posts Not to Miss from SIOG 2025“ on OncoDaily.
