Individual Abstract within a Delegate Designed Symposium 2025 Joint Meeting of the COSA ASM and IPOS Congress

Cultural Adaptation and Implementation of Cancer and Aging: Reflections for Elders (CARE) Psychotherapy for Geriatric Cancer Patients in India (126681)

Surendran Veeraiah 1 , Haryana Dhillon 2 , Christian Nelson 3 , Brian Kelly 4
  1. Psycho-oncology and Resource Centre for Tobacco Control, Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  2. Faculty of Science, School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney , Australia
  3. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, , USA
  4. University of Newcastle, Newcastle, , New South Wales, Australia

Background: Geriatric oncology is presenting increasing challenges in India due to rising cancer incidence among older adults and their complex physiological, psychological, and social vulnerabilities. CARE Therapy (Cancer and Aging: Reflections for Elders), originally developed and under evaluation in the United States, offers a multidimensional, patient-centered intervention model that integrates Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment, individualized treatment planning, multidisciplinary coordination, and strong psychosocial and palliative care components. This model is consistently demonstrating improved clinical outcomes, reduced treatment-related toxicity, and enhanced shared decision-making in older adults with cancer in high-income countries. However, in India, there is a notable lack of culturally translated and evidence-based psychosocial interventions specifically designed for geriatric cancer populations. The present study aims to culturally translate, implement, and validate CARE Therapy for Indian older adults with cancer.  Method: Indian older adults (≥65 years) diagnosed with any type or stage of cancer. The intervention is being pilot-tested in selected cancer centers across India, with delivery by trained mental health professionals. Standardized and culturally relevant psychological, quality of life, and functional assessment tools are being administered pre- and post-intervention to evaluate the therapy’s efficacy. Results and Discussion: CARE Therapy is expected to significantly reduce emotional distress, improve psychological well-being, enhance functional independence, and increase satisfaction with cancer care among geriatric patients. By addressing unmet psychosocial and palliative needs through a structured and culturally tailored approach, the intervention would provide a more holistic and patient-centered model of care. Implications: Clinically, this study is contributing toward the development of national guidelines for psychosocial care in geriatric oncology in India. From a research perspective, it is opening pathways to culturally translate and test the scalability and efficacy of CARE Therapy in other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), thereby advancing the global agenda for equitable geriatric cancer care.