SCIENTIFIC REPORT 2010 - 2011 - IOV

the influence of the function of the immune system and
thymic reserve on aging and tumor development, and the role
of telomerase and telomere length in ECP vs. geriatric non-
oncologic patients (“TELOTREC” study, in collaboration with
Clinical Oncology 2, the Immunology and Molecular Oncology
Unit and the Geriatric Unit, University of Padua);
prevalence and assessment of pain in ECP (spontaneous study)
and of depressive symptoms in ECP (“DAMA” study, in
collaboration with INRCA, Rome);
the polymorphisms of cytochrome CYP2D6 and activity and
safety of Tamoxifen (“TAMOXIFENVENETO” study, in
collaboration with other Clinical Oncology Units in Veneto);
the polymorphism of aromatase gene and the activity of
aromatase inhibitors in ECP with locally advanced/metastatic
breast cancer;
the impact of adjuvant treatment on cognitive functions in
Conclusions and Future Perspectives
Geriatric Oncology is a field of increasing interest, as
demonstrated by the Italian National Oncologic Plan for the
years 2010-2012, and efforts are being put in developing models
and strategies to optimize and tailor treatments. In the coming
years we intend to continue our ongoing clinical and research
activities, with the aim of optimizing care and facilitating clinical
applications of the results obtained from translational studies.
Several collaborations are underway to implement phase I-II
studies with access to and availability of new antitumor drugs, as
well as studies to recognize the factors that could predict response,
and eventually be used in clinical practice.
THE DEPARTMENTS - DEPARTMENT OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
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ECP with breast cancer (“ITACAm” study, in collaboration
with INRCA, Rome.
Preliminary results. So far, as to the above mentioned
ongoing studies, we have been recruiting patients and enrolment
is still ongoing. For the CGA study, data have been collected and
analyzed and an abstract submitted to ASCO 2011.
The aim of the study was to compare a large cohort of ECP
for all-cause survival according to their condition of fitness,
vulnerability or frailty. All consecutive cancer pts ≥70 years
admitted to our Geriatric Oncology Program underwent CGA and
were prospectively followed. Kaplan-Meier survival method was
used and univariate/multivariate (Cox) analyses were applied to
different prognostic factors. In 880 patients enrolled from 9/2003
to 10/2010, we observed that CGA correlates with mortality,
independently from diagnosis of cancer stage and treatment.
Moreover, multidisciplinary collaborations will be implemented
to define an optimal diagnostic-therapeutic strategy for the main
types of tumors (gastrointestinal, urologic, gynecologic, neurologic
and breast cancer in the elderly), as it is already the case for other
neoplasms.
A further area of development is the activation of research
programs in the field of support therapy and symptom control
(pain, nutrition, comorbidities, etc.), with the intent of optimizing
the quality of life and guaranteeing continuity of care for all cancer
patients.