Time and chemotherapy treatment trends in the treatment of elderly patients (age>or=70 years) with non-small cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Palliative chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been established since 1995 and little chemotherapy treatment was given to these patients before 1990. This retrospective study investigates the treatment outcome of elderly patients (age>or=70 years) with NSCLC over the past 13 years in a large UK cancer centre.


METHODS
A comparison of all-cause survival between the time periods 1990-1994, 1995-1999 and 2000-2004 was adjusted for age, gender, stage and performance status. A comparison of survival was also made between three age groups: 70-74, 75-79 and 80+ years.


RESULTS
Between 1990 and 2004, 302 patients>or=70 years had NSCLC. There were differences in age and performance status between the time periods. There was no improvement in median survival between the three time periods (P=0.6). There was little difference in outcome between the three age cohorts.


CONCLUSIONS
The analysis shows that there has been no significant improvement in survival for elderly patients with advanced lung cancer treated with chemotherapy in the past 13 years.
O'Brien
M E R
ME
Lung Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT, UK. Mary.O'Brien@rmh.nhs.uk
Yau
T
T
Coward
J
J
Hughes
S
S
Papadopoulos
P
P
Popat
S
S
Norton
A
A
Ashley
S
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome