title: Age does not worsen the efficacy nor tolerance to combined induction therapies in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One third of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) affects elderly patients in a locally advanced (LA) stage. Induction therapy followed by a curative approach is becoming the standard-of-care for LA-NSCLC.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared the efficacy and tolerance to induction chemotherapy or chemo-radiation followed by surgery or definitive radiotherapy in patients younger (N=64) and older (N=44) than 70 years with LA-NSCLC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elderly patients trended towards having a worse baseline performance status, and presented a higher percentage of IIIB, and squamous tumors. Nevertheless, no significant differences in response rate, operability, or disease-free and overall survival were found between age groups in the whole series, nor in the sub-group of resected patients. Grade 3-4 toxicity tended to be lower in elderly patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Age by itself did not significantly worsen either the efficacy or tolerance to combined induction and definitive treatment in patients with LA-NSCLC and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-2.
authors: Medical Oncology Department, Arnau de Vilanova University Hospital, Lleida, Spain dmarquez.lleida.ics@gencat.cat.
authors: Diego
authors: D
authors: Marquez-Medina
authors: Medical Oncology Department, Arnau de Vilanova University Hospital, Lleida, Spain.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Martin-Marco
authors: Medical Oncology Department, Arnau de Vilanova University Hospital, Lleida, Spain.
authors: Amaia
authors: A
authors: Ojanguren-Garranz
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D060828:Induction Chemotherapy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: Chemoradiation; chemotherapy; elderly patients; induction treatment; locally advanced; non-small cell lung cancer