Older patients more likely to die from cancer-related diseases than younger with stage IA non-small cell lung cancer: a SEER database analysis

Disparities in care of older adults of color with cancer: A narrative review

This review describes the barriers and challenges faced by older adults of color with cancer and highlights methods to improve their overall care. In the next decade, cancer incidence rates are expected to increase in the United States for people aged ≥65 years. A large proportion will be older adults of color who often have worse outcomes than older White patients. Many issues contribute to racial disparities in older adults, including biological factors and social determinants of health (SDOH) related to healthcare access, socioeconomic concerns, systemic racism, mistrust, and the neighborhood where a person lives. These disparities are exacerbated by age-related challenges often experienced by older adults, such as decreased functional status, impaired cognition, high rates of comorbidities and polypharmacy, poor nutrition, and limited social support. Additionally, underrepresentation of both patients of color and older adults in cancer clinical research results in a lack of adequate data to guide the management of these patients. Use of geriatric assessments (GA) can aid providers in uncovering age-related concerns and personalizing interventions for older patients. Research demonstrates the ability of GA-directed care to result in fewer treatment-related toxicities and improved quality of life, thus supporting the routine incorporation of validated GA into these patients' care. GA can be enhanced by including evaluation of SDOH, which can help healthcare providers understand and address the needs of older adults of color with cancer who face disparities related to their age and race.

Novel Dual-Target Kinase Inhibitors of EGFR and ALK Were Designed, Synthesized, and Induced Cell Apoptosis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

ALK-positive NSCLC coexisting with EGFR mutations is a frequently occurring clinical phenomenon. Targeting ALK and EGFR simultaneously may be an effective way to treat these cancer patients. In this study, we designed and synthesized ten new dual-target EGFR/ALK inhibitors. Among them, the optimal compound 9j exhibited good activity with IC₅₀ values of 0.07829 ± 0.03 μM and 0.08183 ± 0.02 μM against H1975 (EGFR ^T790M/L858R) and H2228 (EML4-ALK) cells, respectively. Immunofluorescence assays indicated that the compound could simultaneously inhibit the expression of phosphorylated EGFR and ALK proteins. A kinase assay demonstrated that compound 9j could inhibit both EGFR and ALK kinases; thus, exerting an antitumor effect. Additionally, compound 9j induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner and inhibited the invasion and migration of tumor cells. All of these results indicate that 9j is worthy of further study.