Gynecological malignancies in elderly patients: is age 70 a limit to standard-dose chemotherapy? An Italian retrospective toxicity multicentric study.
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.
Ceccaroni
Marcello
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
D'Agostino
Giuseppe
G
Ferrandina
Gabriella
G
Gadducci
Angiolo
A
Di Vagno
Giovanni
G
Pignata
Sandro
S
Poerio
Antonella
A
Salerno
Maria Giovanna
MG
Fanucchi
Antonio
A
Lapresa
Maria Teresa
MT
Tambaro
Rosa
R
Scambia
Giovanni
G
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