Capecitabine use in geriatric oncology: an analysis of current safety, efficacy, and quality of life data.

Breast and colon cancer occur primarily in people over the age of 65 years, yet standards of care are mostly derived from clinical trials conducted with predominantly younger patients. Clinicians caring for older patients largely rely on clinical judgment and anecdotal experience and most would agree that additional research is needed to optimize care for this growing subset of patients. Capecitabine, a fluoropyrimidine formulated for oral administration has theoretical appeal in this population. In this analysis of published reports and recent presentations published in abstract form, the data on capecitabine efficacy and toxicity are reviewed in the context of patient age. For both breast and colon cancer, capecitabine alone or in combination with other cytotoxics is safe and effective.