ONCO-AGING – Implementation of a clinical/molecular platform for the optimization of complex anti-tumoral therapies in elderly onco-hematological patients.
Cancer incidence increases with age due to the lengthening of life expectancy. In recent years, the treatment of hematological neoplasms has undergone major changes due to the introduction of biologically targeted drugs and the improvement of existing radiotherapy techniques. The main goal of this project is to optimize and personalize the management of elderly patients candidates for biological or complex therapies and classified as “at risk of frailty” according to the G8 test. We anticipate that elderly cancer patients should particularly benefit from these innovative treatments. There is also an urgent need to develop new tools to personalize anticancer therapies in old age patients in order to reduce drug adverse effects. We plan to pursue this goal by taking advantage of a Merkel cell carcinoma model, a skin cancer occurring predominantly in old-aged individuals. Lastly, we will investigate the possible role of senescent cells in promoting tumor progression by identifying pro-inflammatory senescence-associated factors.
Work packages (WPs)
- WP1: Impact of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) on the Quality of Life (QoL) of elderly onco-hematologic patients’ candidates for complex antitumoral therapies: clinical and biological correlatives.
- WP2: Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Merkel Cell Carcinoma Progression in the Elderly
Team
- SCDU Oncologia/Ematologia/Radioterapia/Cure Palliative: Gennari A., Gaidano G., Krengli M., Catania E., Martini V., Maggiora P.M., Mahmoud.A.M.S.
- Virologia Molecolare : Gariglio M., Borgogna C., Lo Cigno I., Albertini S., Martuscelli L.
Partnership
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, Laboratory of Cellular Senescence and Age-related Pathologies, University of Groningen, Netherlans
- University of Central Florida (UCF) – Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, USA
- IOV (Istituto Oncologico Veneto)- Padova – Medical oncology department, Task force “Cancer in elderly” – EORTC (European Organization for Research and Treatment of cancer), Italy
- Department of Clinical Research & Medical Oncology, Institut Curie (Hôpital René Huguenin), St Cloud,France
- Center for Diagnostics Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf- Hamburg, Germany
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, Infections and Cancer Biology Group, Lyon, France
Publications
Research area: Burden of old age and disability, Prevention and treatment pathways
Principal Investigator (PI) and CO-PI:
Alessandra Gennari (PI) – Associate professor - Department of Translational Medicine - UPO
Gianluca Gaidano (Co-PI) - Full professor - Department of Translational Medicine - UPO
Marco Krengli (Co-PI) - Full professor - Department of Translational Medicine - UPO
Marisa Gariglio (Co-PI) - Full professor - Department of Translational Medicine - UPO
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