Plainsboro, N.J.-based Penn Medicine Princeton Cancer Center received $2.5 million to fund its geriatric oncology program.
The program will expand research and professional expertise in geriatrics, as well as increase outreach to seniors in the community, according to a March 23 Penn Medicine release. Patients aged 80 and older will undergo a geriatric assessment to evaluate their health and social determinants of health factors.
"We see a significant and growing need for specialized cancer care for older adults," James Demetriades, CEO of Penn Medicine Princeton Health, said in the release. "Today, 70 percent of our patients with cancer are 65 or older, and 18 percent are at least 80 years old. Every one of those individuals faces unique challenges, and we are committed to working with them to develop care plans that meet their unique needs."
The grant was given by the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation.