SIOG2024-4-P-110* Representation of Geriatric Oncology in cancer care guidelines in Europe: a scoping review

Introduction: Implementation of national cancer policy relies
on medical guidelines. These guidelines often lack detail addressing the intricate care needs of vulnerable groups such as older
adults, hindering the potential impact of these policies.
Objective: Provide an overview of the representation of older
adults in European cancer guidelines to identify areas for
improvement.
Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the Arksey
and O’Malley framework and Levac et al. extension. The search
strategy was developed for grey literature (i.e. guidelines) for the 5
most prevalent cancers (prostate, breast, colorectal, lung, and
bladder) in 29 countries (European Union, United Kingdom and
Switzerland). Data was extracted by a national expert and at least
one other reviewer.
Results: We identified 44 organisational websites and 15
citations, yielding 186 potential reports for inclusion. We analysed
173 documents. Preliminary analysis illustrates that of the 29
included countries, 22 had national guidelines for at least one of the
5 specified cancers. Of these 22, 0 had specific recommendations
for older adults across all 5 specified cancers. Peak representation of
older adults was observed for 4 out of 5 cancers, for only 2
countries.
Conclusions: There is limited representation of geriatric
oncology across European cancer guidelines. To enhance representative guideline development, there is a call for greater consideration of older adults’ unique needs. Suggestions include further
guidance on the implementation of the comprehensive geriatric
assessment (CGA) and consequent treatment across neoadjuvant,
adjuvant and metastatic settings.