title: Elderly patients with glioblastoma: the treatment challenge.
abstract: The treatment for elderly patients affected by glioblastoma represents a challenge in neuro-oncology. The recent randomized trials (the NOA-8 and the NCBTSG trials) showed an advantage of temozolomide for patients with O6-methylguanine methyltransferase methylated tumors. To date, no randomized trials compared the standard treatment (radiochemotherapy) with other therapeutic approaches, due to the idea that elderly patients do not tolerate aggressive therapy. Nonetheless, with the increased lifespan and the better quality of life, the nihilism in the treatment of elderly with cancer is obsolete. Molecular (including O6-methylguanine methyltransferase) and clinical tools (including the geriatric evaluation) are needed for choosing the proper therapy for patients over 70.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, IRCCS-CROB, via S. Pio 1, 85028, Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy.
authors.forename: Alba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiorentino
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Bonis
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chiesa
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balducci
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fusco
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D000077204:Temozolomide
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D003606:Dacarbazine; D000077204:Temozolomide