title: Use of cisplatin for elderly patients.
abstract: The ageing of the population has resulted in a greater emphasis on cancer treatment effects in elderly patients. This population has often had arbitrary dose modification of chemotherapy owing to fear of excessive side-effects. A review was undertaken to evaluate cisplatin toxicity in patients of 70 years of age or older. Thirty-four patients were evaluated. Their mean age was 72.8 years and 85.3% were women. Fourteen of 34 (41%) patients completed the planned therapy. Treatment was terminated because of disease progression (35%), renal toxicity (9%) and non-renal toxicity (15%). Our conclusion is that cisplatin can safely be administered to elderly patients. Arbitrary dose modification or elimination of cisplatin from a treatment programme on the grounds of patient age alone is not justified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, North Shore University Hospital, Cornell University Medical College, Manhasset, NY.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lichtman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buchholtz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schulman
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Weiselberg
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Budman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: DeMarco
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lovecchio
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000139:chemically induced; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D002945:Cisplatin