title: Radiotherapy for elderly patients and cetuximab, a monocentric study.
abstract: Concomitant radiotherapy and cetuximab association has shown superiority to exclusive radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. Data on this association are scarce for the elderly population despite its rising incidence. A retrospective monocentric data collection was performed in the Antoine Lacassagne Cancer Center in France. Inclusion criteria were: age >70 years at time of diagnosis, histologically proven head and neck epidermoid carcinoma, treated with radiotherapy combined with cetuximab. Thirty-five patients were included between 2008 and 2012. Median follow-up was 22 months. Median age was 74 years (70-86). Median performance status was 1 (0-2). Female/male sex ratio was 0.34. Tumor sites were: oropharynx (57.1 %), larynx (20 %), hypopharynx (14.3 %), oral cavity (2.9 %), nasopharynx (2.9 %), and lymph node with unknown primary (2.9 %). Using TNM classification, tumors were: T1 (5.9 %), T2 (35.3 %), T3 (35.3 %), T4 (22.9 %), N0 (28.6 %), N1 (8.6 %), N2 (48.6 %), and N3 (14.3 %). Median radiotherapy dose was 70 (60-70). RT was interrupted in 94 % of patients and the dose of cetuximab was reduced in 29 %. Median survivals were, respectively: 49 months for overall survival (standard error (SE) = 8) and 32 months for relapse-free survival (SE = 10). Two-year local-regional relapse and metastatic relapse-free survivals were, respectively, 59 % (SE = 10) and 74 % (SE = 10). Concomitant radiotherapy and cetuximab seem to be an effective therapy in the elderly population with encouraging results similar to the literature concerning its efficacy and toxicity. This treatment should be considered for patients >70 years.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, 33 Avenue Valombrose, 06000, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Alexander T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Falk
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, 33 Avenue Valombrose, 06000, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hébert
authors.affiliation: Lenval Hospital, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, 33 Avenue Valombrose, 06000, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Eve
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Chand
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, 33 Avenue Valombrose, 06000, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leysalle
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, 33 Avenue Valombrose, 06000, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Juliette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thariat
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, 33 Avenue Valombrose, 06000, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dassonville
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, 33 Avenue Valombrose, 06000, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poissonnet
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, 33 Avenue Valombrose, 06000, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bozec
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, 33 Avenue Valombrose, 06000, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Esma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saada
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, 33 Avenue Valombrose, 06000, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Fréderic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peyrade
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, 33 Avenue Valombrose, 06000, Nice, France. karine.benezery@nice.unicancer.fr.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Benezery
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D000068818:Cetuximab / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000068818:Cetuximab
keywords: Cetuximab; Elderly; Head and neck carcinoma; Radiotherapy