title: The influence of age on the management of anal cancer.
abstract: The standard treatment for anal cancer is combination chemo-radiotherapy. Management decisions such as radical chemotherapy, resective surgery for poor response or relapse are frequently modified by age-associated comorbid factors. Between 1980 and 1990, our regional cancer center serving a population of 1.8 million saw 78 patients with squamous carcinoma of the anus. We have compared patients who were younger than 65 years (n = 38) with those older than 65 years (n = 38). The mean +/- standard deviation age for the whole cohort was 65 +/- 12 years, with a ratio of 2 females to each male presenting. Fewer of the elderly age group had major surgery (26% vs. 42%) (p = 0.03), and fewer suffered no toxicity (42% vs. 26%) (p = 0.03). However, 61% of the under-65-year age group are alive disease-free vs. 26% of the elderly group (p = 0.03). Similarly, only 18% of the under-65-year group died with disease compared with 37% of the elderly group (b = 0.03). For the series as a whole, the crude mortality was 42%, with 27% dying of their disease. The stage distribution, and the amount of radiotherapy or chemotherapy administered was not age-specific, but younger patients had more surgery and suffered more toxicity, with a greater proportion remaining alive and disease-free, and fewer dying of their disease. These data suggest that a more aggressive multi-modality approach in the elderly may improve disease response and survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, McMaster University.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: de Gara
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Basrur
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Figueredo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goodyear
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Knight
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D016685:Mitomycin; D014750:Vincristine; D005472:Fluorouracil