title: Targeted anti-cancer therapy in the elderly.
abstract: Cancer is a disease of the elderly with the majority of new diagnoses and deaths from cancer occurring in persons greater than 65 years of age. A major goal of cancer therapy, in the elderly is the preservation of functional independence and quality of life. The advent of targeted therapies has raised the hope that older patients with cancer could be treated as effectively as younger patients and without added toxicities. However, caution must be exercised while addressing the use of these therapies in the elderly population and only after taking into consideration the risks, benefits and prognosis of patients on an individual basis. This article reviews the current literature on the efficacy, cost-effectiveness and toxicity of the currently approved targeted agents in the elderly population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Creighton University Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States.
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gonsalves
authors.forename: Apar Kishor
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ganti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011788:Quality of Life
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases