Treatment outcomes in elderly with advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Lung cancer remains the top cause of cancer morbidity and mortality in the world. Although the identification of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations could predict efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), testing for predictive biomarkers are not always possible due to tissue availability. The overall therapeutic decision remains a clinical one for a significant proportion of elderly patients with advanced stage lung cancer but no known EGFR mutation status. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome of drug treatment modalities in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for elderly with advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to identify clinical parameters that could predict treatment outcome.


METHODS
Clinical records of patients aged 70 years or older with advanced-stage NSCLC who have received treatment were reviewed. A group of gender- and histology-matched subjects younger than age 70 years were identified as controls.


RESULTS
Fifty-six elderly patients were included. The median age at diagnosis was 73 years; 60.7 % received only one line of treatment. Baseline performance status (PS) was the only predictor of improved PFS (p = 0.042) and OS (p = 0.002). There was no difference in survival between the upfront chemotherapy and the TKI groups


CONCLUSIONS
In elderly with advanced-stage NSCLC without known EGFR mutation status, use of EGFR-TKI and chemotherapy resulted in comparable survival benefits. Age was not predictive of worse treatment outcome. The baseline PS should be taken into consideration in the therapeutic decision in elderly with NSCLC where the EGFR mutation status is not known.
Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, HKSAR, China.
Terence Chi-Chun
TC
Tam
James Chung-Man
JC
Ho
Matthew King-Yan
MK
Wong
Wai-Mui
WM
Wong
Julie Kwan-Ling
JK
Wang
Jamie Chung-Mei
JC
Lam
Macy Mei-Sze
MM
Lui
Wah-Kit
WK
Lam
Mary Sau-Man
MS
Ip
David Chi-Leung
DC
Lam
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009154:Mutation; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018579:Patient Selection; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors