title: Independent prognostic effect of co-morbidity in lymphoma patients: results of the population-based Eindhoven Cancer Registry.
abstract: The prevalence of co-morbidity among elderly lymphoma patients is associated with a decrease in the use of chemotherapy. This study assessed the independent prognostic effect of co-morbidity in 1551 unselected lymphoma patients, diagnosed between 1995 and 2001 in the area of the population-based Eindhoven Cancer Registry. The prevalence of serious co-morbidity was 58% for patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) who were over 60 years of age and 66% for patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) who were over 60 years of age. The administration of chemotherapy declined in the presence of co-morbidity for elderly patients with early-stage HD and elderly patients with aggressive NHL. Co-morbidity was associated with a 10-20% decline in 5-year survival. Whether less frequent application of chemotherapy in the presence of co-morbidity is justified as far as complications, prognosis and quality of life are concerned requires further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: van Spronsen
authors.forename: M L G
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Janssen-Heijnen
authors.forename: V E P P
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Lemmens
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: J W W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Coebergh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012042:Registries; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate