The 2019 Supportive Care in Oncology Symposium will be held on October 25 and 26 in San Francisco, California. Supportive care, also called palliative care, is an important part of cancer care. It involves treating symptoms, managing emotional and social needs, and addressing spiritual and practical concerns. All people with cancer, regardless of age or type and stage of cancer, may receive supportive care before, during, and after treatment.

In this podcast, William Dale, MD, PhD, and Joe Rotella, MD, discuss 3 studies that will be presented at the symposium.

• What is supportive care? [2:00]

• Can oncology massage be used to help reduce symptoms of neuropathy, or nerve pain, caused by chemotherapy? A study explores this complementary therapy approach [2:54].

• How do pain, anxiety, and depression interact in people with cancer? One study examines this relationship and the role social support plays [8:37].

• Are there racial or ethnic disparities in which people with cancer receive hospice care? A study looked at people with advanced pancreatic cancer on Medicare and how and when they used hospice care [16:33].

Dr. William Dale is the Arthur M. Coppola Family Chair in Supportive Medicine at the City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California, specializing in the care of older adults with cancer. He is also the Cancer.Net Associate Editor for Geriatric Oncology. Dr. Joe Rotella is the Chief Medical Officer of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

You can learn more about research from this symposium by following the #SuppOnc19 hashtag on Twitter.

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