title: Use of neoadjuvant therapy in patients 75 years of age and older with pancreatic cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment sequencing in older patients is difficult because of concomitant comorbidities and often decreasing performance status. The present study sought to examine the effect of neoadjuvant therapy and pancreatic surgery in older patients with resectable or borderline-resectable (BLR pancreatic cancer (PC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with resectable or BLR PC treated with neoadjuvant therapy were classified as older (≥ 75 years) or younger (<75 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neoadjuvant therapy was initiated in 246 patients; 210 (85%) younger than 75 years and 36 (15%) older. Older patients had a greater median Charlson comorbidity index (CCI): 6 vs 4 (P < .01). Completion of all intended therapy (neoadjuvant therapy and surgery) occurred in 177 (72%) of the 246 patients; 153 (73%) of the 210 younger and 24 (67%) of the 36 older patients (P = .43). Failure to complete all therapy was associated with BLR clinical stage (odds ratio [OR] 0.26, P = .001), increased posttreatment/preoperative serum levels of CA19-9 (OR 0.27, 95% confidence interval 0.14-0.53), and CCI ≥ 6 (OR 0.44, 95% confidence interval 0.22-0.86). Median overall survival for all study patients was 26.1 and 19.7 months (P = .13) for younger and older patients, respectively. Of the 177 patients who completed all therapy, the difference in survival between younger and older patients was not statistically significant (36.5 months vs 27.2 months, P = .47).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Failure to complete neoadjuvant therapy and eventual pancreatic resection is associated with BLR stage, increased posttreatment/preoperative CA19-9, and CCI ≥ 6, but not older age. Older patients who completed neoadjuvant therapy and underwent resection experienced a survival benefit compared with those who did not complete all intended therapy. Balancing the toxicity of sequential therapies with their cumulative effect on tolerance and risk for pancreatic surgery will be the key to developing optimal treatment sequencing in older patients with PC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Pancreatic Cancer Program, The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Pancreatic Cancer Program, The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
authors.forename: Ashley N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Krepline
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Pancreatic Cancer Program, The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: George
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Pancreatic Cancer Program, The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Ritch
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Pancreatic Cancer Program, The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
authors.forename: Beth A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Pancreatic Cancer Program, The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
authors.forename: Fabian M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Pancreatic Cancer Program, The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
authors.forename: Kiyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Pancreatic Cancer Program, The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
authors.forename: Kathleen K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Christians
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Pancreatic Cancer Program, The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
authors.forename: Douglas B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Pancreatic Cancer Program, The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI. Electronic address: stsai@mcw.edu.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen