BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the differences in terms of toxicity and feasibility of neoadjuvant 5-fluorouracil (5FU) continuous infusion (c.i.) or bolus in combination with pelvic radiotherapy (RT) in locally advanced rectal cancer "fit" or "vulnerable" elderly patients. A secondary endpoint was to identify any specific comorbidity that affected either effectiveness or morbidity of treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From June 2000 to June 2005, 36 patients over 70 years of age out of a total of 88 consecutive elderly cases were retrospectively examined. Variables considered were age, gender, modality of 5FU administration and comorbidities (evaluated according to Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatric, CIRS-G). RESULTS: Median age was 74 years (range, 70-82) years and the male:female ratio, 22:14. Fourteen % of the patients healthy and 25% with slight comorbidities were considered "fit" and 61% "vulnerable". All the patients received the full course of RT. The mean number of chemotherapy weeks was 5.34 (range, 2-6); "vulnerable" patients did not experience higher toxicity compared to "fit" patients (p = 0.69). Eighty-nine % of the patients were operated without relevant postoperative complications. Thirteen out of 20 "vulnerable" and 10 out of 12 "fit" patients had a pathological downstaging of disease (p = 0.24). CONCLUSION: Selected elderly "vulnerable" patients with rectal cancer can receive the same neoadjuvant 5FU-based chemoradiotherapy (either bolus or c.i.) and undergo surgery as well as "fit" elderly patients, since tolerability and response rate seem to be similar in both categories of patients.
BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the differences in terms of toxicity and feasibility of neoadjuvant 5-fluorouracil (5FU) continuous infusion (c.i.) or bolus in combination with pelvic radiotherapy (RT) in locally advanced rectal cancer "fit" or "vulnerable" elderly patients. A secondary endpoint was to identify any specific comorbidity that affected either effectiveness or morbidity of treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From June 2000 to June 2005, 36 patients over 70 years of age out of a total of 88 consecutive elderly cases were retrospectively examined. Variables considered were age, gender, modality of 5FU administration and comorbidities (evaluated according to Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatric, CIRS-G). RESULTS: Median age was 74 years (range, 70-82) years and the male:female ratio, 22:14. Fourteen % of the patients healthy and 25% with slight comorbidities were considered "fit" and 61% "vulnerable". All the patients received the full course of RT. The mean number of chemotherapy weeks was 5.34 (range, 2-6); "vulnerable" patients did not experience higher toxicity compared to "fit" patients (p = 0.69). Eighty-nine % of the patients were operated without relevant postoperative complications. Thirteen out of 20 "vulnerable" and 10 out of 12 "fit" patients had a pathological downstaging of disease (p = 0.24). CONCLUSION: Selected elderly "vulnerable" patients with rectal cancer can receive the same neoadjuvant 5FU-based chemoradiotherapy (either bolus or c.i.) and undergo surgery as well as "fit" elderly patients, since tolerability and response rate seem to be similar in both categories of patients.
Authors: M Di Genesio Pagliuca; C Perotti; G Apicella; A Galla; M Guffi; M Paolini; L Donis; V Amisano; S Torrente; I Manfredda; M Krengli Journal: Clin Transl Oncol Date: 2015-09-14 Impact factor: 3.405
Authors: Masoud Babaei; Lina Jansen; Yesilda Balavarca; Annika Sjövall; Amanda Bos; Tony van de Velde; Michel Moreau; Gabriel Liberale; Ana Filipa Gonçalves; Maria José Bento; Cornelia M Ulrich; Petra Schrotz-King; Valery Lemmens; Bengt Glimelius; Hermann Brenner Journal: Clin Colorectal Cancer Date: 2017-09-28 Impact factor: 4.481
Authors: D Tougeron; F Di Fiore; S Thureau; N Berbera; I Iwanicki-Caron; H Hamidou; B Paillot; P Michel Journal: Br J Cancer Date: 2008-10-28 Impact factor: 7.640