title: Chemotherapy for colorectal cancer in the elderly.
abstract: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in the elderly. However, elderly patients with CRC tend to be under-presented in clinical trials and undertreated in clinical practice. Advanced age alone should not be the only criteria to preclude effective therapy in elderly patients with CRC. The best guide about optimal cancer treatment can be provided by comprehensive geriatric assessment. Elderly patients with stage III colon cancer can enjoy the same benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin or capecitabine as younger patients, without a substantial increase in toxicity. With conflicting results of retrospective studies and a lack of data available from randomized studies, combined modality treatment should be used with great caution in elderly patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Combination chemotherapy can be considered for older patients with metastatic CRC. For elderly patients who are frail or vulnerable, however, monotherapy or a stop-and-go strategy may be desirable. The use of targeted therapies in older patients with metastatic CRC appears to be promising in view of their better efficacy and toxicity. Treatment should be individualized based on the nature of the disease, the physiologic or functional status, and the patient's preference.
authors.affiliation: Jung Han Kim, Division of Hemato-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangnam Sacred-Heart Hospital, Hallym University Medical Center, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul 150-950, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Han
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010166:Palliative Care; D018579:Patient Selection; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Adjuvant chemotherapy; Colorectal cancer; Elderly; Palliative chemotherapy; Review