Kristina_Skau

INTRODUCTION Clinical pharmacists, especially those working in oncology settings, play a pivotal role in medication management for older adults with cancer. Clinical pharmacists conduct structured medication assessments, which can include adverse effect assessment, interaction assessments, adherence monitoring, medication reconciliation, and in certain jurisdictions, prescribing and deprescribing. Pharmacists offer the Geriatric Oncology MDT suggestions to enhance medication safety, taking multiple factors into consideration, including the patient's age, comorbidities, and factors influencing drug metabolism and elimination. The SIOG Nursing and Allied Health Interest Group have recently published a perspective paper highlighting the role of clinical pharmacists in geriatric oncology[1]. We sat down with the lead author, Darren Walsh, pharmacist in University Hospital Waterford (Ireland) to discuss the growing recognition of clinical pharmacy as a key component of a wider multidisciplinary team within Geriatric Oncology. Roles and Responsibilities of Clinical Pharmacists Could you discuss the roles and responsibilities of clinical pharmacists in a [...]

The CLIMB Study Breast cancer remains a significant health concern for older women, who account for appoximately 50% of those diagnosed with the condition. Older patients often have reduced physiological reserve and clinically significant comorbidities, and are more susceptible to both undertreatment and to overtreatment, as well as being more likely to experience treatment toxicity and early discontinuation of therapy. Around 70-80% of breast cancers are categorized as estrogen-receptor (ER) positive. Regardless of the disease stage or setting, a majority of patients diagnosed with ER+ cancers are likely, at some point during their treatment course, to be treated with endocrine therapy (ET), which works to block or prevent estrogen signaling, and is typically taken for between five to ten years in the adjuvant setting. In general, ET comes in one of two forms, either aromatase inhibitors (AI), such as exemestane and letrozole, or selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) such as [...]