Research advances on acute kidney injury and brain dysfunction.

In the United States, there are an estimated 18.6 million cancer survivors, with predictions reaching above 26 million by the year 2040 (; ). Approximately two-thirds of all cancer survivors are 65 and older, and this number is expected to rise given the increasing population of older adults, advanced technology and earlier detection of cancer, and more effective, life-prolonging treatments (). Although these developments reflect major progress in oncology practice and research, fewer funded studies that focus on survivorship care for older adults (), and even fewer have explored how aging-related stressors intersect with the psychosocial challenges of cancer survivorship (). Loneliness, defined as the subjective negative experience of inadequate or insufficient social connection, is an important psychosocial factor associated with adverse health outcomes (). In a recent 2023 report, the U.S. Surgeon General declared loneliness and social isolation as profound public health threats (), increasing the risk of all-cause mortality by 25% and 29%, respectively (). An estimated 35.9% of adult cancer survivors report persistent loneliness and rates may be even higher among those coping with cancer due to treatment-related isolation, reduced mobility, changes in social support networks, and aging-related stressors (). Moreover, loneliness in later life has been linked to poorer physical health, cognitive decline, functional impairment, and increased mortality risk, underscoring its significance as a public health issue (). It is a particularly salient concern within the context of geriatric oncology survivorship. Depression is also common among individuals with cancer, with older adults experiencing unique risk factors related to multimorbidity, functional limitations, and existential concerns (). In fact, depressive symptoms in older adult cancer survivors (OACs) are associated with diminished quality of life, poorer treatment adherence, increased healthcare utilization, and elevated mortality (). Although loneliness consistently remains the most robust predictor of depression across the lifespan (), the psychosocial correlates of this construct and how it co-occurs with depression in OACs remain insufficiently understood.