title: Palliative treatment for elderly patients with colon cancer in ten Italian medical oncology units.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Palliative chemotherapy significantly reduces mortality in patients with stage IV colon cancer, but is less prescribed with rising age. In this paper, we highlight the pattern of palliative treatment and possible effects on survival among elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January to December 2004, 78 files on the management of stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC) patients over 70 years, collected from 10 Italian Centres, were retrospectively examined. Determinants of receipt of palliative chemotherapy and their relation to toxicity and survival were considered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of elderly patients receiving first-line palliative chemotherapy was 98.7% and it was evaluated according to age, gender, educational level and comorbidities; patients receiving second-line therapy comprised 47.4%, those receiving third-line therapy 14.1% and those treated with a fourth-line therapy totalled 2.6%. Forty-one percent of patients received best supportive care (BSC) alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Italy, a proportion of elderly patients with metastatic chemonaive CRC are usually treated with a tolerability and overall survival similar to those for the younger population. Among progressive patients after second-line therapy, 45.8% usually undergo third line therapy; the remaining 54.2% undergo BSC.
authors.affiliation: Oncologia Medical 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto, IRCCS, Padova, Italy. laramary@libero.it
authors.forename: Lara Maria
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Pasetto
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Falci
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Gian Luca
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: De Salvo
authors.forename: Giampietro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasparini
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Andrea
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bajetta
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Platania
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Alabiso
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miraglia
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Oniga
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Biason
authors.forename: Maria Concetta
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chetrì
authors.forename: Palma
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fedele
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Massara
authors.forename: Incoronata
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Romaniello
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luchena
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buzzi
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ricotta
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siena
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monfardini
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000069287:Capecitabine; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D007558:Italy; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000379:methods; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016522:Oncology Service, Hospital; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D005641:Tegafur / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014498:Uracil / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D005641:Tegafur; D016685:Mitomycin; D014498:Uracil; D000069287:Capecitabine; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil; D002166:Camptothecin