title: Gynecological malignancies in elderly patients: is age 70 a limit to standard-dose chemotherapy? An Italian retrospective toxicity multicentric study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  One hundred and forty-eight consecutive gynecological oncological patients aged >or=70 were administered chemotherapy during the years 1990-2000.
  
  
  METHODS
  Median age was 73 years (range 70-84). Fifty-five (37.2%) women were over 75 years old. One or more comorbid conditions were present in 118 (79.7%) patients. Standard schedules were administered to 97.3% of cases, with a total number of 1046 cycles of therapy administered (median, 6; range, 1-35, per patient).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of a total of 233 chemotherapy regimens globally administered, G3-G4 hematological toxicity was documented in 38.2% of cases. Only 10 (6.8%) of the 148 patients discontinued treatment because of G3-G4 hematological toxicity. No severe nonhematological toxicity was observed. Two dose reductions and three treatment delays, but no discontinuation of treatment, were required during second-line regimens. Treatment delay >7 days was required in 16.9% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronological age did not adversely influence the ability to receive aggressive treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ceccaroni
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrandina
authors.forename: Angiolo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gadducci
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Vagno
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pignata
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poerio
authors.forename: Maria Giovanna
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Salerno
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fanucchi
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Lapresa
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tambaro
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scambia
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000075202:Contraindications; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies