title: First-line mono-chemotherapy in frail elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Unlike for fit elderly metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients, general approaches to initial treatment for the frail older mCRC patients are not clear. Our aim was to evaluate the efficiency and safety of first-line single-agent treatment in one such group.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated mCRC patients aged 70 or older with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score of 2. They had no prior treatment and underwent first-line single-agent capecitabine or other monotherapies until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-six patients were included. Most (n:28, 77.8%) were treated with capecitabine. One patient achieved a complete response and 5 patients had a partial response for an overall response rate of 16.6%. Twelve patients (33.3%) remained stable. Median progression free survival was 5 months (confidence interval (CI), %; 3.59-6.40) and median overall survival was 10 months (95 CI%; 8.1-11.8). Grade 3-4 toxicity was found in 6 patients (16.6%). Febrile neutropenia was not observed and there were no toxicity-associated deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Capecitabine is a safe chemotherapeutic agent with moderate activity for first-line treatment of older metastatic colorectal cancer patients with limited performance status.
authors.affiliation: Katip Celebi University Ataturk, Izmir, Turkey E-mail : varolumut@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Umut
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Varol
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dirican
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Esin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oktay
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Degirmenci
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alacacioglu
authors.forename: Sabri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barutca
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karabulut
authors.forename: Ruchan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Uslu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069287:Capecitabine; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil