title: Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the elderly: a retrospective evaluation of toxicity related to aggressive vs. conservative treatments.
abstract: The outcome of 70 elderly patients aged 65 years or more (median, 71 years) with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) treated between 1973 and 1981 with aggressive (AM) or conservative modalities (CM) was retrospectively evaluated. A significantly higher incidence of lethal and severe toxicity was observed in patients treated with AM than in those treated with CM (32% vs 3%, p less than 0.01), with 10% treatment related deaths in the AM group. Only 56% of the deaths were attributed to NHL; other major causes were treatment-related deaths, infection and cardiac diseases. No significant difference in response and survival was found between AM and CM groups (complete remission rates were 35% vs 42%, and 10 year survival rates were 31% vs 19%, respectively), but the prevalence of stages III-IV in patients treated with AM makes these results meaningless. Prospective randomized trials with AM vs CM are clearly needed in elderly patients with advanced unfavorable NHL.
authors: Divisione di Oncologia Medica, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Aviano, Italia.
authors: U
authors: U
authors: Tirelli
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Zagonel
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Volpe
authors: M G
authors: MG
authors: Trovò
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Carbone
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008466:Mechlorethamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011344:Procarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011897:Random Allocation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014747:Vinblastine; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D011344:Procarbazine; D008466:Mechlorethamine; D014750:Vincristine; D014747:Vinblastine; D003606:Dacarbazine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone