Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39139354›Full record

ArticleCureus2024

A Survey of the Turkish Oncology Group (TOG): Are the Oncologists Trained for Decision Making on Geriatric Cancer Patients?

Sule Gul, Huseyin Tepetam, Omar Alomari, Didem Çolpan Öksüz, Serdar N Turhal, Fazilet Öner Dinçbaş

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cureus, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Sule GulRadiation Oncology, Health Sciences University, Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, TUR.
Huseyin TepetamRadiation Oncology, Health Sciences University, Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, TUR.
Omar AlomariMedicine and Surgery, Hamidiye International Faculty of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, TUR.
Didem Çolpan ÖksüzRadiation Oncology, Medical Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, TUR.
Serdar N TurhalInternal Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology, Anatolian Health Center, Istanbul, TUR.
Fazilet Öner DinçbaşRadiation Oncology, Medical Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Istanbul, TUR.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMost newly diagnosed cancers occur in older adults, and it is important to understand a patient's underlying health status when making treatment decisions. Therefore, clinicians need enhanced competencies and skills to effectively care for this population. However, most clinicians receive minimal to no training in geriatrics. This study aims to evaluate the education and training levels in geriatric oncology among Turkish physicians and to understand the factors influencing oncologists' treatment decisions for geriatric cancer patients. MATERIALS AND

methodsA 24-question survey was prepared to obtain the participating physicians' demographic information, as well as to inquire whether they had received training during their medical education and residency on how to approach geriatric patients, in what process(es) they had received the training, whether they were currently treating geriatric patients, what they focused on when evaluating geriatric patients, and what they thought about their training and preparedness for approaching geriatric patients. The questionnaire was sent online to radiation and medical oncologists, and the link was published on the Turkish Society of Radiation Oncology and the Turkish Society of Medical Oncology websites.

resultsTwo hundred and three physicians participated in the survey, 131 of whom were women. The median age was 41.66 years (24-69 years). One hundred and fifty-six physicians (76.1%) received specialty education at the university hospital. One hundred and three of them were radiation oncologists, and 80 were medical oncologists. Of the physicians, 19.7% received education in geriatrics before they specialized in oncology, and 6.9% said they were educated after specialization. When determining suitability for radiotherapy, 10.7% of radiation oncologists said that they use geriatric assessment tools. Similarly, 13.8% of medical oncologists claimed that they used geriatric assessment tools in determining suitability for chemotherapy. Of the physicians, 177 (86.3%) thought that geriatric evaluation could independently increase patient survival rate. Furthermore, patient cognitive status, functional status, physiological age, polypharmacy, geriatric specialist recommendations, inpatient services, patient relatives, and similar factors were found to be useful in treatment decisions. Finally, 92.7% of the participants believed that receiving education would have changed their perspectives on treating geriatric patients.

conclusionOur results provide perspectives on developing knowledge on and skills in geriatric training among oncologists. Learning new approaches is necessary for oncologists who more frequently confront geriatric patients with cancer.

Indexed as

educationgeriatricsmedical-oncologistoncologyradiation-ongologist

Identifiers

PMID39139354
PMCPMC11321900

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.