title: Adjuvant treatment recommendations in older women with breast cancer: a survey of oncologists.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies demonstrate differing treatment patterns between older and younger patients with breast cancer. To explore the reasons for these disparities we conducted a survey of 28 oncologists specializing in breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight medical oncologists from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the University of California Los Angeles who specialize in the treatment of breast cancer were asked to provide adjuvant treatment recommendations in hypothetical scenarios featuring older patients with high-risk breast cancer. For each of these hypothetical patients, the patient's age was varied over four possible values (70, 75, 80, or 85 years of age) and health and functional status varied across three possible states (perfect health, average health, or major health problems). Survey data were compiled and analyzed to determine the impact of theoretical patient age, baseline health, and functional status on their treatment recommendations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of oncologists who recommended adjuvant chemotherapy decreased as the patient's age increased or as the patient's functional status and health status decreased. For 96% of physicians (95% CI, 82-100%), patient age influenced chemotherapy recommendations, controlling for health/functional status; the same proportion of respondents were influenced by health/functional status, controlling for patient age. There was increased variability in treatment recommendations as the patient's age increased or functional status and health status decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among these medical oncologists who primarily treat breast cancer adjuvant treatment recommendations vary based on patient age, health, and functional status. Future studies are needed to correlate age, health, and functional status with the risks and benefits of adjuvant therapy so that consensus guidelines can be formed. A more comprehensive baseline assessment of the older patient, such as can be derived from a comprehensive geriatric assessment may be useful in this regard.
authors.affiliation: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA. ahurria@coh.org
authors.forename: Arti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hurria
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naeim
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elkin
authors.forename: Sewanti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Limaye
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grover
authors.forename: Clifford
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hudis
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robson
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000188:drug therapy; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal