title: Comparative effectiveness of chemotherapy in elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Treatment advances have improved outcomes in clinical trials of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Less is known about these effects for patients in real-world settings. This study evaluated treatment patterns and survival in older, demographically diverse patients with mCRC.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort analysis was performed for 4,250 patients from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2007 using linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare database. Patients were ≥ 66 years, enrolled in Medicare parts A and B, and received first-line treatment with fluorouracil and leucovorin (5-FU/LV), capecitabine (CAP), 5-FU/LV plus oxaliplatin (FOLFOX), or CAP and oxaliplatin (CAPOX). Cox regression with backward elimination and propensity score-weighted Cox regression estimated relative risk of death. Date of last follow-up was December 2009. Statistical comparisons were made between 5-FU/LV vs. CAP and FOLFOX vs. CAPOX.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to 5-FU/LV, patients treated with CAP were older (mean age 78 vs. 76; P<0.0001) and more likely female (61 vs. 54 %; P=0.0017), while patients receiving CAPOX and FOLFOX were similar in age (mean age 74 vs. 73; P=0.0924). Complications requiring medical resource utilization following initiation of therapy were significantly higher among patients administered with 5-FU/LV (54 %) vs. CAP (17 %; P<0.0001) and FOLFOX (75 %) vs. CAPOX (57 %; P<0.0001). The multivariate analysis revealed no significant differences in survival between 5-FU/LV and CAP and between FOLFOX and CAPOX.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall survival was comparable between CAP and 5-FU/LV and between CAPOX and FOLFOX with fewer complications requiring medical resource utilization associated with CAP and CAPOX, thus confirming clinical trial results.
authors.affiliation: Q.D. Research, Inc, 8789 Auburn Folsom Road C501, Granite Bay, CA 95746, USA. sacha@qdresearch.com
authors.forename: Sacha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Satram-Hoang
authors.forename: Luen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Shui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Sridhar R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Guduru
authors.forename: Ashokvardhan R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Gunuganti
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McKenna
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018426:SEER Program; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil