The Annual Meeting of the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) was held from October 17–19, 2024, in Montreal. The conference theme was “Promoting Equity and Enhancing Optimal Care Delivery.” The conference chairs were Shabbir Alibhai, MD, MSc, FRCPC, and Martine Puts, RN, PhD, FAAN, FCAN (University of Toronto), and Supriya Mohile, MD, MS, FASCO (University of Rochester). The incoming President is Grant Williams, MD (University of Alabama, Birmingham).
The mission of the Society, which was founded in 2000, is to strengthen the capacity of health-care professionals in the field of geriatric oncology, to optimize treatment of older adults with cancer. SIOG operates via four strategic directions: education, clinical practice, research and collaboration, and partnerships. SIOG’s 2021 policy review has provided a broad expert consensus on 12 priorities to advance the care of older adults with cancer on a global scale.1 It has experienced significant growth since its inception. Its taskforces, whitepapers, and position statements have influenced geriatric oncology practice worldwide.
Stuart M. Lichtman, MD, FACP, FASCO
Scientific Program
The 2024 meeting had more than 400 participants from 32 countries. There were 54 oral presentations and 175 poster presentations. The meeting ran the gamut of geriatric oncology, emphasizing geriatric assessment and disease-specific evaluation and treatment.
The meeting was organized into tracks:
Track 1: Clinical trials and precision medicine in older adults with cancer
Track 2: Biology and epidemiology in cancer and aging
Track 3: Strategies and health-services research to improve outcomes of diverse populations of older adults with cancer and their caregivers
Track 4: Supportive care delivery in older adults with cancer and their caregivers
Track 5: Education to improve geriatric oncology knowledge and practice.
As part of its educational mission, the meeting started with four workshops: Geriatric Assessment, Cancer and Aging Research Group Grant Writing, SIOG Patient Advocacy Resources and Communities, and Clinical Trials and Precision Medicine in Older Adults With Cancer. These small group meetings fostered interactions and provided a platform for new ideas and a plan to move forward.
Plenary Abstracts
The plenary session consisted of updates on various aspects of geriatric oncology. The session provided a comprehensive overview of the most significant advancements in the field of geriatric oncology over the past year, covering perspectives from hematology, nursing and allied health, geriatrics, medical oncology, surgery, and radiation therapy. Experts shared their insights on cutting-edge research, novel treatment approaches, and emerging trends in the management of cancer in older patients.
Six plenary abstracts were presented. They were varied in scope to reflect the applicability of many disciplines to the care of older patients and the international nature of the meeting. For more information about these individual plenary abstracts, visit SIOG.org. Listed here are the presenters and their topics:
Jingran Ji, MD, of UCLA Health, Santa Monica, California: Association of Epigenetic Age Acceleration Measures and Frailty Index in Older Women With Breast Cancer (SIOG2024-2-OA-011)
Denise Shuk Ting Cheung, PhD, RN, APN, of The University of Hong Kong: Qigong for Improving Frailty of Older Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial (SIOG2024-4-OA-030)
Allison Magnuson, DO, of the University of Rochester Medical Center: A Randomized Pilot Study of Memory and Attention Adaptation Training-Geriatrics to Mitigate Cancer-Related Cognitive Decline Symptoms in Older Women With Breast Cancer (SIOG2024-1-OA-003)
Efrat Dotan, MD, of Penn Medicine, Philadelphia: Randomized Phase II Study of Gemcitabine/Nab-Paclitaxel Compared With Fluorouracil/Leucovorin/Liposomal Irinotecan in Older Patients With Treatment-Naive Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer (GIANT EA2186; SIOG2024-1-OA-001)
Pallawi Torka, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: A Prospective Geriatric Assessment Study Predicting Toxicities in Older Adults With Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: Timed Up and Go Test Time Emerges as a Functional Vital Sign (SIOG2024-1-OA-002)
Nicolas Bertrand, PhD, of Rennes, France: Implementation and Feasibility Study of a Remote Monitoring System by ePROs in Older Adults With Cancer Based on Real-Life Data in France and Belgium (SIOG2024-4-OA-031).
Other Sessions and Annual Awards
Sessions highlighting the work of the SIOG Nursing & Allied Health Interest Group and the Young SIOG Group were also included. Sessions with international organizations included the Geriatric Oncology Treatment Optimization for Patient-Centered Research Portfolio–The Rising Tide Foundation’s Clinical Cancer Research Program and the Cancer and Aging Research Group Global Collaboration and the French Cooperative Group for Research in Older Patients With Cancer–sponsored session on the role of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Older Adult Council in academic research.
The following annual awards were presented:
The SIOG 2024 Paul Calabresi Award: Enrique Soto Pérez de Celis, MD, PhD, FASCO (Colorado). This prestigious award recognizes exceptional achievement of an SIOG member as a pioneer in clinical research, academia, and public engagement in the field of geriatric oncology.
The SIOG 2024 National Representative of the Year Award: Joyita Banerjee (India).
The 2024 BJ Kennedy award for best poster: Jessica Krok-Schoen, PhD, MA (Ohio); Trial in Process: E-intervention for Protein Intake and Resistance Training to Optimize Function Study.
The SIOG 2024 Nursing & Allied Health Investigator Award: Kavita Kantilal (United Kingdom); The Educational Needs of Pharmacists to Optimize Medication Usage in Older Adults With Cancer: A Scoping Review by SIOG Nursing.
The SIOG 2024 Young Investigator Award: Sheetal Hardikar, MBBS, PhD, MPH (Utah); Association of a Deficit Accumulation Electronic Frailty Index With Survival Outcomes in a Prospective Cohort of Older Colorectal Cancer Patients.
SIOG Celebrates 25 Years
The 25th anniversary of SIOG will be celebrated in 2025. The 2025 SIOG Annual Meeting will be held in Ghent, Belgium, from November 20–22, 2025. The theme of this year’s conference is “Bridging Research and Clinical Practice in Geriatric Oncology.” I hope to see you there.
DISCLOSURE: Dr. Lichtman reported no conflicts of interest.
REFERENCE
1. Extermann M, Brain E, Canin B, et al: Priorities for the global advancement of care for older adults with cancer: An update of the International Society of Geriatric Oncology Priorities Initiative. Lancet Oncol 22:e29-e36, 2021.
Dr. Lichtman is Attending Physician (retired) at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Commack, New York; Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York; a consultant for Wilmot Cancer Institute Geriatric Oncology Research; and Past President of the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG). He is Guest Editor of The ASCO Post’s Geriatrics for the Oncologist column, which is developed in collaboration with SIOG.
