Transdisciplinary Intervention Integrating Geriatric And Palliative Care With Oncology Care For Older Adults With Cancer

While evidence suggests that older adults with incurable cancer have unique geriatric and
palliative care needs, models of care that are focused on these needs are lacking. The
investigators propose to pilot test an intervention targeting the geriatric and palliative
care needs of older adults with incurable cancer, referred to as a "transdisciplinary
intervention."

The goals of the proposed study are: (1) conduct focus groups with clinicians (from oncology,
geriatrics and palliative care) and interviews with patients to explore their perceptions of
older patients' supportive care needs and finalize the transdisciplinary intervention; (2) to
demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of delivering the transdisciplinary
intervention to older patients with incurable GI and lung cancers; and (3) to estimate the
effect size of the transdisciplinary intervention for patient-reported outcomes (e.g.,
between-group differences from baseline to week 12 in quality of life, physical function,
physical and psychological symptoms).

Inclusion Criteria:

- Age 65 or older

- Diagnosed with incurable (defined as metastatic or receiving chemotherapy with
palliative intent) esophageal, gastric, pancreas, hepatobiliary, colorectal, or lung
cancer within the prior 8 weeks (including patients with prior diagnosis of cancer who
developed incurable disease)

- Verbal fluency in English

- Planning to receive care at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)

Exclusion Criteria:

- Unwilling or unable to participate in the study

- Significant psychiatric, cognitive or other comorbid disease which the treating
clinician believes prohibits informed consent or participation in the study

- No medical problems for geriatric clinician to address (e.g. comorbidities,
polypharmacy, etc.)