Name:
Dr Filipe Coutinho
Job title:
Consultant in Medical Oncology
Organisation / Company:
Medio Ave Local Health Unit, Portugal.
Biography:
Dr Filipe Coutinho is a Portuguese Consultant Medical Oncologist with a clinical, academic, and organizational profile in geriatric oncology, gastrointestinal malignancies, breast cancer, and palliative care. A Specialist in Medical Oncology since 2017, he subsequently completed postgraduate specialization in Palliative Care in 2019 and in Clinical Geriatrics in 2022. In March 2026, he was awarded both the title of Consultant in Medical Oncology and the Competence in Geriatrics by the Portuguese Medical Association.
He currently serves at Médio Ave Local Health Unit, Portugal, as a Medical Oncologist in the Department of Medical Oncology and as a physician in the Hospital Palliative Care Team, positions he has held since 2018. His clinical practice is focused on the management of colorectal, gastric, and breast cancers, and he is one of the physicians responsible for the hospital’s multidisciplinary gastrointestinal oncology group. He also serves on the hospital’s Oncology Committee, contributing to institutional cancer care strategy and multidisciplinary oncologic governance.
Dr. Coutinho has been building a strong academic career alongside his clinical activity. Since 2021, he has served as Invited Assistant Professor and Co-Coordinator of the Clinical Oncology Module of the integrated master in Medicine at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Beira Interior. He is a pioneer in teaching geriatric oncology at the undergraduate level in Portugal, contributing to the introduction of this area into pre-graduate medical training at his faculty. He is also deeply committed to postgraduate education in oncogeriatrics and, together with the group he leads (Portuguese Geriatric Oncology Working Group), co-created the CIPOG (Course on the Introduction to the Principles of Geriatric Oncology), a pioneering national course designed to promote structured training in geriatric oncology for healthcare professionals.
Internationally, Dr. Coutinho is best known for his leadership in advancing geriatric oncology in Portugal. He is the Founder and Coordinator of the Geriatric Oncology Working Group of the Portuguese Society of Oncology, established in 2020, and has served as Portugal’s National Representative to the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) since 2021. In recognition of his work, he received the SIOG National Representative of the Year Award in 2023. He currently serves as a member of the Young SIOG Board for 2024–2026, with responsibilities linking the Board to the Fellowship and Award Committee and the Membership and National Representatives Committee, while supporting membership growth and mentorship initiatives.
His academic and scientific activities include service on the editorial boards of several peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Geriatric Oncology, Geriatrics, BMC Cancer, and ecancermedicalscience. His principal academic interests include treatment decision-making in older adults with gastrointestinal cancer, supportive and palliative care, and the development of innovative educational strategies in geriatric oncology at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.