title: Non-small cell lung cancer therapy in the elderly.
abstract: To date, lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with the majority of lung cancers arising in the elderly. As a consequence, we can expect an increase in the number of older lung cancer patients considered suitable for chemotherapy in the near future. Elderly patients often have comorbid conditions and progressive physiologic reduction of organ function, which can make the selection of proper treatment daunting. Some patients will be able to tolerate chemotherapy as well as their younger counterparts, whereas others will experience severe toxicity and require treatment modifications. Thus, a major issue is effectively selecting patients suitable for standard or attenuated therapy. A comprehensive geriatric assessment performed at baseline is a useful tool that can help select the best treatment regimen to be administered to elderly patients. Until now, few trials have specifically focused on elderly patients affected by non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), particularly those with advanced disease; prospective elderly-specific studies in early stages are still lacking. High priority should be given to evaluating the role of new targeted therapies. Unfortunately, to date, clinical trials that include functional status and comorbidity as part of the geriatric assessment are rare. Future trials, specifically in the elderly population, should include these kinds of evaluations. The most recent therapies for the treatment of elderly patients with NSCLC will be discussed here.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, S.G. Moscati Hospital, 83100 Avellino, Italy, cgridelli@libero.it.
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gridelli
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maione
authors.forename: Clorinda
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schettino
authors.forename: Maria Anna
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bareschino
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palazzolo
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zeppa
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ambrosio
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barbato
authors.forename: Paola Claudia
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Sacco
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents