Better cancer care for the fastest growing population group in the U.S.
The number of adults aged 85 and older is expected to triple by 2060, due in large part to better treatments and a decline in tobacco use. Because cancer risk increases with age, demand for cancer care in this population will continue to grow. William Dale, MD, PhD, joined the podcast to talk about the needs of older adults who are cancer patients and how we can better meet them. He also talked about “The Elephant in the Room,” a film executive produced by Dr. Dale and his wife that depicts the real-life experiences of Bonnie Freeman, who was a nurse practitioner at City of Hope. Ms. Freeman, who wrote the screenplay for the film, tragically passed away shortly before the film’s release. The film, which is available on Amazon Prime, is about a “comical nurse practitioner who treats his patients in an unconventional way, is challenged by a tough and stubborn patient, but is determined to show him the bright side, even when the end is so close.” Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/Elephant-Room-Niko-Vitacco/dp/B08GCNTZXQ IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8857090/ William Dale, MD, PhD, is Chair of Supportive Care Medicine and Director of the Center for Cancer and Aging Research at City of Hope, a comprehensive cancer center near Los Angeles. 4:49 – Unmet needs for older adults who are cancer patients 9:47 – On barriers preventing senior cancer patients from enrolling in clinical trials 13:34 – What strategies might decrease these barriers? 17:27 – Misconceptions and opportunities for impact in the field of palliative care 22:02 – On “The Elephant in the Room” 24:40 – How he hopes the film could help advance palliative care, and how it draws on the real-life experiences of nurse practitioners and social workers at City of Hope 29:36 – How to find “The Elephant in the Room” on Amazon Prime, and how a number of colleagues in medicine have commented on its realism 32:21 – How the American Cancer Society has impacted his research and clinical care 37:15 – Current research pursuits that he’s most excited about 42:19 – A message he’d like to share with cancer patients, survivors and caregivers