Before personalized oncology, most people with a specific type and stage of cancer received basically the same treatment. But, advances in genetic testing and a broader understanding of the many factors that can influence cancer treatments – especially as one ages – mean it’s becoming increasingly possible to tailor treatments for individual patients.
Our guest is an expert on personalized oncology for older patients. Dr. Martine Extermann is Professor of Oncology and Medicine at the University of South Florida, and she is Program Leader in the Senior Adult Oncology Program at Moffitt Cancer Center. Her main areas of investigation are how cancer behavior and its treatment are influenced by the general health of the patient and other diseases they have, how to predict and optimize treatment tolerance, and how to include the benefits of a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) for cancer patients.
She was in southwest Florida to present two lectures called "Personalized Oncology: Age, the Tumor and the Patient" so we brought her into the studio for a conversation.