title: Complete response to capecitabine in a frail, elderly patient with metastatic colorectal cancer: A case report.
abstract: The clinical management of frail, elderly patients affected by colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a subject of debate. The present study reports the case of an elderly man with metastatic CRC (mCRC) who was successfully treated with capecitabine. The patient survived for 29 months, thus highlighting its potential activity in terms of obtaining a complete response and high efficacy. A 77-year-old man presented with adenocarcinoma of the rectum with multiple and synchronous liver metastases, in addition to several comorbidities. The patient received single-agent capecitabine chemotherapy (825 mg/mq twice a day) on days 1-14 of a 21-day cycle. Following 12 cycles of well-tolerated therapy, a computed tomography scan revealed a complete response with no evidence of liver metastases. An overall survival of 29 months was documented, and the patient eventually succumbed to a diabetes-related complication. In compromised patients with mCRC, reduced-dose capecitabine is an excellent therapeutic option due to its positive safety profile, activity and efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine'F. Magrassi-A. Lanzara', Division of Medical Oncology, Second University of Naples School of Medicine, I-80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Morena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fasano
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine'F. Magrassi-A. Lanzara', Division of Medical Oncology, Second University of Naples School of Medicine, I-80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fabozzi
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Unit, San Filippo Neri Hospital, I-00135 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine'F. Magrassi-A. Lanzara', Division of Medical Oncology, Second University of Naples School of Medicine, I-80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Venturini
authors.affiliation: Urogenital and Head and Neck Cancer Division, European Institute of Oncology, I-20141 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aurilio
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Hematology, Division of Medical Oncology, University Hospital 'Policlinico di Modena', I-41124 Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cantile
authors.affiliation: Department of Solvent Oncology, IRCSS San Raffaele, I-20132 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fabozzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, S. Croce and Carle Teaching Hospital, I-12100 Cuneo, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, 'San Giuseppe Moscati' Hospital, I-83100 Avellino, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Santabarbara
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine'F. Magrassi-A. Lanzara', Division of Medical Oncology, Second University of Naples School of Medicine, I-80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Floriana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Morgillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine'F. Magrassi-A. Lanzara', Division of Medical Oncology, Second University of Naples School of Medicine, I-80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Fortunato
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ciardiello
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine'F. Magrassi-A. Lanzara', Division of Medical Oncology, Second University of Naples School of Medicine, I-80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Vita
keywords: advanced disease; capecitabine; colorectal cancer; complete response; frail elderly patient