title: A review and assessment of currently available data of the EGFR antibodies in elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
abstract: Although the number of elderly patients is increasing each year, this population has been under-represented in clinical trials. At the same time, the survival of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer has been improving, not only because of improvements in chemotherapy, but especially because of the addition of monoclonal antibodies (bevacizumab, cetuximab and panitumumab). Therefore, it is necessary to define the role of these new drugs in the elderly population, a group that is heterogeneous and consists of those who are fit and able to tolerate all therapies equally as well as younger patients and unfit individuals who should only given best supportive care or therapies specifically modulated for them. Today, although data from phase II-III studies have helped to establish the role of bevacizumab in the elderly, few trials have studied anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies in the same population. This review presents the results of studies carried out with anti-EGFR agents, with a hope that more trials will be carried out with these drugs in the elderly in the future.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Unit, S. Carlo Hospital, Potenza, Italy. Electronic address: oncogerry@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rosati
authors.affiliation: Departments of Oncology, University and General Hospital, Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aprile
authors.affiliation: Departments of Oncology, University and General Hospital, Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni Gerardo
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Cardellino
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology Unit, National Cancer Institute G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avallone
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068818:Cetuximab / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D000077544:Panitumumab; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000077544:Panitumumab; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000068818:Cetuximab
keywords: Cetuximab; Elderly; Metastatic colorectal cancer; Panitumumab; Review