TY - JOUR
T1 - Adjuvant therapy in the elderly
T2 - Making the right decision
AU - Muss, Hyman B.
AU - Biganzoli, Laura
AU - Sargent, Daniel J.
AU - Aapro, Matti
PY - 2007/5/10
Y1 - 2007/5/10
N2 - Adjuvant chemotherapy has led to improvements in relapse-free and overall survival in patients with breast, colon, and non-small-cell lung cancer, yet many older patients are not offered these potentially life-saving treatments. Moreover, older patients have been either excluded or under-represented in most adjuvant trials, limiting the generalizability of these treatments to older populations. Limited data in elders suggest that older patients derive significant benefits from adjuvant therapies provided they have life expectancies exceeding 5 years. Making treatment decisions in elders is challenging. Many have major comorbidities that may substantially limit life expectancy and minimize or negate the benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy. In this review, we discuss the potential benefits of adjuvant treatment in older patients with solid tumors with a focus on general principles involved in the selection of adjuvant therapy for patients with breast, colon, and non-small-cell lung cancer. In addition, we discuss the role of comorbidity and how it factors in treatment decisions. Finally, we discuss future research directions and funding for elders with cancer.
AB - Adjuvant chemotherapy has led to improvements in relapse-free and overall survival in patients with breast, colon, and non-small-cell lung cancer, yet many older patients are not offered these potentially life-saving treatments. Moreover, older patients have been either excluded or under-represented in most adjuvant trials, limiting the generalizability of these treatments to older populations. Limited data in elders suggest that older patients derive significant benefits from adjuvant therapies provided they have life expectancies exceeding 5 years. Making treatment decisions in elders is challenging. Many have major comorbidities that may substantially limit life expectancy and minimize or negate the benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy. In this review, we discuss the potential benefits of adjuvant treatment in older patients with solid tumors with a focus on general principles involved in the selection of adjuvant therapy for patients with breast, colon, and non-small-cell lung cancer. In addition, we discuss the role of comorbidity and how it factors in treatment decisions. Finally, we discuss future research directions and funding for elders with cancer.
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U2 - 10.1200/JCO.2006.10.3457
DO - 10.1200/JCO.2006.10.3457
M3 - Review article
C2 - 17488985
AN - SCOPUS:34249826935
SN - 0732-183X
VL - 25
SP - 1870
EP - 1875
JO - Journal of Clinical Oncology
JF - Journal of Clinical Oncology
IS - 14
ER -