title: Benefits and risks of palliative capecitabine based therapy to elderly patients with advanced colorectal cancer: Danish single centre experiences.
abstract: This study aimed to compare efficacy and toxicity of palliative chemotherapy for elderly and younger colorectal cancer patients. Patients aged 24-69 (n = 203) and 70-82 years (n = 57) with advanced colorectal cancer were consequetively treated with first line capecitabine monotherapy or combined with oxaliplatin (XELOX). The response rates were 37% and 33% (P = 0.61), the median times to progression were 5.5 and 6.0 months (P = 0.84, hazard ratio (HR) 1.09; 95% confidence interval: 0.71-1.68), and median overall survival times were 8.4 and 12.5 months (P = 0.07, HR 1.48; 1.04-2.38) for elderly and younger patients, respectively. Elderly patients had similar frequencies of Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC) grade 3 or 4 toxicity (P > 0.05) and number of treatment courses (P = 0.44), and maintained performance status as well as younger patients (P = 0.68). Palliative capecitabine based therapy for advanced colorectal cancer should be considered also for elderly who are in good performance without major comorbidities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, National University Hospital, 9 Blegdamsvej, Copenhagen, DK-2100, Denmark. soren.a.jensen@mail.tele.dk
authors.forename: Søren Astrup
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Jacob Thomsen
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lønborg
authors.forename: Jens Benn
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Sørensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D003718:Denmark; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D011355:Prodrugs; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil