title: Erlotinib for elderly patients with non-small-cell lung cancer: Subset analysis from a population-based observational study by the Ibaraki Thoracic Integrative (POSITIVE) Research Group.
abstract: The incidence and mortality of lung cancer have increased worldwide over the last decades, with an observed increased incidence particularly among elderly populations. It has not yet been determined whether erlotinib therapy exhibits the same efficacy and safety in elderly and younger patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this retrospective subgroup analysis of data from a population-based observational study was to assess the efficacy and safety of erlotinib in an elderly (≥75 years, n=74) and a younger group of patients (<75 years, n=233) who received treatment for NSCLC. The time to treatment failure was similar in the elderly [median, 62 days; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 44-80 days] compared with the younger group (median, 46 days; 95% CI: 35-53 days) (P=0.2475). The overall survival did not differ between the elderly and younger groups (median, 170 days; 95% CI: 142-239 days vs. median, 146 days; 95% CI: 114-185 days, respectively) (P=0.7642). The adverse events did not differ in incidence between the groups and were manageable, regardless of age. Among the NSCLC patients receiving erlotinib treatment, the outcomes of the elderly (≥75 years) and younger (<75 years) groups of patients were similar in our population-based observational study.
authors.affiliation: Tsukuba University Hospital, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8576, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurishima
authors.affiliation: Mito Medical Center, University of Tsukuba, Mito, Ibaraki 310-0015, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.affiliation: Ibaraki Prefectural Central Hospital and Regional Cancer Center, Kasama, Ibaraki 309-1793, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaburagi
authors.affiliation: Mito Chuo Hospital, Mito, Ibaraki 311-1135, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.affiliation: Tsuchiura Kyodo General Hospital and Regional Cancer Center, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki 300-0053, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.affiliation: Tsuchiura Kyodo General Hospital and Regional Cancer Center, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki 300-0053, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inagaki
authors.affiliation: National Hospital Organisation, Mito Medical Center Hospital, Mito, Ibaraki 311-3193, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.affiliation: Ibaraki Higashi National Hospital, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1113, Japan.
authors.forename: Takefumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.affiliation: Ibaraki Higashi National Hospital, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1113, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayashihara
authors.affiliation: Tsukuba University Hospital, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8576, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hizawa
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Medical University, Ibaraki Medical Center Hospital, Ami, Ibaraki 300-0395, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Hitachi General Hospital, Hitachi, Ibaraki 317-0077, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nawa
authors.affiliation: Mito Medical Center, University of Tsukuba, Mito, Ibaraki 310-0015, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kagohashi
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Medical University, Ibaraki Medical Center Hospital, Ami, Ibaraki 300-0395, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kishi
authors.affiliation: Tsukuba Medical Center Hospital and Regional Cancer Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8558, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.affiliation: Tsukuba Medical Center Hospital and Regional Cancer Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8558, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ichimura
authors.affiliation: Mito Saiseikai General Hospital, Mito, Ibaraki 311-4198, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.affiliation: Tsukuba University Hospital, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8576, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Tsukuba University Hospital, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8576, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.affiliation: Tsukuba Memorial Hospital, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-2622, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamiyama
authors.affiliation: Ibaraki Seinan Medical Center Hospital, Sakai, Osaka 306-0433, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.affiliation: JA Toride Medical Center, Toride, Ibaraki 302-0022, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Unoura
authors.affiliation: JA Toride Medical Center, Toride, Ibaraki 302-0022, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukuoka
authors.affiliation: Ibaraki Prefectural Central Hospital and Regional Cancer Center, Kasama, Ibaraki 309-1793, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uchiumi
authors.affiliation: Ibaraki Seinan Medical Center Hospital, Sakai, Osaka 306-0433, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Medical University, Ibaraki Medical Center Hospital, Ami, Ibaraki 300-0395, Japan.
authors.forename: Kinya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Furukawa
keywords: elderly; erlotinib; non-small-cell lung cancer; observational study; population-based