ASCO Commentary Reflects on the Legacy of Dr. Arti Hurria

Aug 05, 2019

A new ASCO paper in the Journal of Geriatric Oncology fondly reflects on the impact of Arti Hurria, MD, in improving the treatment of older adults with cancer. The article is part of a special issue honoring her work in this area.

Dr. Hurria was killed in a traffic accident on November 7, 2018. In addition to being a member of ASCO’s Board of Directors and a geriatric oncology leader, she was the George Tsai Family Chair in Geriatric Oncology, director of the Center on Cancer and Aging, co-lead of the Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program, vice provost of clinical faculty, a professor in the Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, and a medical oncologist at City of Hope.

The article, developed by ASCO’s Center for Research and Analytics (CENTRA), highlights Dr. Hurria’s ability to collaborate and inspire others through three efforts:

  • Building on the 2013 Institute of Medicine report on delivering high-quality cancer care 
  • Collaborating with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  • Prompting ASCO volunteers and committees to undertake projects in geriatric oncology 

In "Cancer and Aging Activities at the American Society of Clinical Oncology and Beyond: Reflections on the Legacy of Dr. Arti Hurria," the authors wrote:

“Dr. Hurria’s remarkable contributions to the field of geriatric oncology are evident by her personal accomplishments and the enduring legacy of the people that she inspired to action. She used her passion and vision to identify every opportunity for progress in creating a national dialogue around the need to improve the evidence base for treating older adults with cancer. She also had an unparalleled ability to support and encourage others. She will be deeply missed.”

The special issue of the Journal of Geriatric Oncology will be published in early 2020. Read the ASCO article.

Comments

Sylvia S. Estrada, DNP, MSN, CBCN

Sep, 05 2019 12:52 PM

Dr. Arti Hurria was a true champion for leading the importance of geriatric cancer care. But more importantly, we lost a true "doctor champion" in support of the role of nurses in oncology care. Dr. Hurria understood the importance of collaborative work and included nurses as a vital member of the geriatric care team. The Greater Los Angeles Oncology Nursing Society had the honor of having Dr. Hurria attend our holiday celebration in 2018. We share the loss of this remarkable young physician who left us way too early. She is deeply missed by her oncology nurses.


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