title: [Chemotherapy in the Elderly with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Non-Interventional, Prospective, Multicentric Observational Study].
abstract: BackgroundElderly patients (70 years or older) with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) do benefit from systemic chemotherapy as shown in many studies. We prospectively collected multicentric data on therapeutic decisions from patients 70 years or older to reflect the reality in the German health care system.Material and MethodsPatients 70 years or older with NSCLC Stage IIIB or IV were eligible. No more than 20 consecutive patients from each center were included. Comorbidities, weighted by the Charlson-comorbidity-index, and survival data were collected.Results253 patients were documented. Median age was 75.5 years (range 70 to 92) and 75 % were male. 2 % had no comorbidities, 5 % one, 15 % two, 24 % three and 55 % more than three. 237 patients (94 %) received systemic chemotherapy: 172 (73 %) as a combination and 58 (24 %) as monotherapy. Data from seven patients regarding therapy are missing. Combination regimens were in 66 % carboplatin- and in 30 % cisplatin-based. The most frequently given monotherapy was vinorelbin in 50 % of cases. In the group of the patients older than 80 years (n = 38), 53 % received mono therapy, 29 % a carboplatin-based regimen and 16 % no chemotherapy. Cisplatin was not administered in this age group. Median overall survival (OS) was 16.9 months. Patients with a Charlson-score ≤ 6 had 17.9 months, those > 6 12.0 months. With combination chemotherapy median OS was 23.5 months. Patients > 80 years had a median OS of 5.7 months.ConclusionA high percentage of patients older than 70 years received systemic therapy. Survival depended more on comorbidities than on age.
authors.affiliation: LungenClinic, Onkologischer Schwerpunkt, Mitglied im Deutschen Zentrum für Lungenforschung, DZL; Großhansdorf.
authors.forename: David Felix
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Heigener
authors.affiliation: Fachkrankenhaus Coswig, Zentrum für Pneumologie, Coswig.
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hoeffken
authors.affiliation: Klinikum Nürnberg, Medizinische Klinik 3, Universitätsklinik der Paracelsus Medizinischen Privatuniversität, Nürnberg.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wuerflein
authors.affiliation: Städtisches Klinikum Bogenhausen-München, Klinik für Pneumologie, München.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feurer
authors.affiliation: Lungenfachklinik Immenhausen, Pneumologische Onkologie, Immenhausen.
authors.forename: Achim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rittmeyer
authors.affiliation: Klinikum der Universität München, Pneumologie und Thorakale Onkologie sowie Lungentumorzentrum München, Mitglied im Deutschen Zentrum für Lungenforschung, DZL, München.
authors.forename: Roland Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.affiliation: medac GmbH, Wedel.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pietsch
authors.affiliation: medac GmbH, Wedel.
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ring
authors.affiliation: Sana Krankenhaus Gerresheim, Abteilung Pneumologie, Düsseldorf.
authors.forename: Karl-Matthias
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Deppermann
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents