title: Short-course radiotherapy in elderly women with breast cancer: Comparison by age, comorbidity index and toxicity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer is the most common malignancy amongst elderly women. It represents the main cause of mortality for those women and it is steadily increasing. The primary therapeutic approach remains surgery, as in other age groups. The role of radiotherapy following surgery is still debated. The use of hypofractionated schedules is challenging the standard fractionation and has now been considered an advantageous option within this subgroup of patients. Results from randomized controlled trials have not been shown to be inferior to standard fractionation in terms of local recurrence, disease-free survival and overall survival. Acute and late side effects were not increased by hypofractionated regimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  60 elderly women treated by hypofractionated radiotherapy after breast conserving surgery were stratified by age. Comorbidities associated compliance and toxicity correlation to age were the first endpoints of the study. Comorbidity associated compliance was calculated by Cumulative Illness Rating Scale Geriatric.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At a median follow-up of 15 months overall survival was 100%, without severe late toxicity. No statistical significant differences were found between Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatric, systemic therapy and toxicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our experience hypofractioned regimens seem to be safe and reliable in the elderly setting, although longer follow up is needed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, Istituto Nazionale per lo studio e la cura dei tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale", IRCCS, Via Mariano Semmola 80131 Naples, Italy. Electronic address: francesca_giugliano@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Francesca Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Giugliano
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, Istituto Nazionale per lo studio e la cura dei tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale", IRCCS, Via Mariano Semmola 80131 Naples, Italy. Electronic address: sara.falivene@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Falivene
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Cancer, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale", IRCCS, Via Mariano Semmola 80131 Naples, Italy. Electronic address: emanuelaexpo@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, Istituto Nazionale per lo studio e la cura dei tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale", IRCCS, Via Mariano Semmola 80131 Naples, Italy. Electronic address: difrancorossella@virgilio.it.
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Franco
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Cancer, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale", IRCCS, Via Mariano Semmola 80131 Naples, Italy. Electronic address: m.daiuto@istitutotumori.na.it.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Aiuto
authors.affiliation: Second University of Naples, Piazza Miraglia, 80131 Naples, Italy. Electronic address: kikkalanza@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lanza
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, Istituto Nazionale per lo studio e la cura dei tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale", IRCCS, Via Mariano Semmola 80131 Naples, Italy. Electronic address: valentinaborzillo@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Borzillo
authors.affiliation: Second University of Naples, Piazza Miraglia, 80131 Naples, Italy. Electronic address: piera.ferraioli@libero.it.
authors.forename: Piera
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferraioli
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Cancer, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale", IRCCS, Via Mariano Semmola 80131 Naples, Italy. Electronic address: rita.compagna@libero.it.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Compagna
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Via Pansini 5 80131 Naples, Italy. Electronic address: bramato@unina.it.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, Istituto Nazionale per lo studio e la cura dei tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale", IRCCS, Via Mariano Semmola 80131 Naples, Italy. Electronic address: dottenzoravo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ravo
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, Istituto Nazionale per lo studio e la cura dei tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale", IRCCS, Via Mariano Semmola 80131 Naples, Italy. Electronic address: p.muto@istitutotumori.na.it.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muto
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D015897:Comorbidity; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant