Supportive Care Core

Aging and cancer research is poised to create effective interventions to improve health outcomes. Areas with great promise are interventions from the behavioral (e.g. exercise), psychological (e.g. delirium avoidance), and supportive care (e.g. early palliative care) arenas. Designing such intervention studies for vulnerable older adults requires care and expertise in aging applied early in research study design.

CORE MISSION

• Provide expertise and guidance in field of non-pharmacological interventions
• Support investigators in design and conduct of studies that evaluate interventions in behavioral, psychological, and supportive care domains to improve outcomes of older adults with cancer

CORE FUNCTION

• Serve as contact point for researchers and support them by providing direct input through consultation services or connecting them to outside expertise when not available in Core
• Link researchers to existing resources and provide young investigators with adequate support within and outside institutions
• Provide investigators with expertise in recruitment strategies
• Mentoring investigators and linking them with other core members if needed
• Provide recommendations and guidance in various areas (study design, eligibility criteria, intervention development and adaption, intervention quality and fidelity, outcomes, assessment tools)

CORE MEMBERS

Carolyn Presley, MD
Member

Dori Beeler, MD
Member

Elizabeth Kessler, MD
Member

Erin Stevens, DO
Member

Judith Hopkins, MD
Member

Katherine Ramos, PhD
Member

Kelly McConnell, PhD
External Advisory Board Member

Kim Robien, PhD, RD, CSO, FAND
Member

Mary Whitehead, BFA
Patient Advocate Board: SCOREboard Member

Sindhuja Kadambi, MD, MS
Member

Smith Giri, MD, MHS
Member

Ting Guan, PhD
Member

Valerie Targia
Patient Advocate Board: SCOREboard Member

CORE PUBLICATION

• Elias R, Loh KP, Targia V, Whitehead M, Canin B, Jatoi A, Loscalzo M, Mohile S. Behavioral, psychological, and supportive care interventions in geriatric oncology: The cancer and aging group infrastructure core. J Geriatr Oncol. 2019;. doi: 10.1016/j.jgo.2019.07.019. Link

Core Inquiry: If you have research inquiry for this Core, please complete the Research Inquiry Form here.