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Chemotherapy compliance in elderly patients with solid tumors: a real-world clinical practice data
Affiliations- Department of Oncology, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Opole, Opole, Poland
- Tadeusz Koszarowski Cancer Center in Opole, Department of Oncology with Daily Unit, Opole, Poland
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Abstract
Introduction. Malignant tumors in elderly people are more than ten times more prevalent than in the younger population. The data on the compliance with chemotherapy in older cancer patients managed outside of clinical trials is scarce.
Material and methods. We retrospectively assessed 181 consecutive cancer patients aged 65 years or more who received systemic chemotherapy. The study aimed to examine chemotherapy compliance in a large series of elderly patients managed in routine clinical practice. We also investigated the ability to complete chemotherapy in relation to selected factors, such as tumor type, treatment setting and line, type of chemotherapy, presence of comorbidities, body mass index (BMI), an expected glomerular filtration rate, hemoglobin level (Hb), a neutrophil- to-lymphocyte ratio, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS).
Results. Thirty-three percent of patients did not complete an initially pre-defined chemotherapy plan. The main reasons were disease progression (20%) and unacceptable toxicity (10%). Independent factors related to premature treatment termination included a lower BMI, a lower Hb level, lower PS, and palliative (compared to currative) setting.
Conclusions. In conclusion, premature chemotherapy termination not related to disease progression is relatively rare in elderly patients and may be predicted with routinely used clinical parameters.
Abstract
Introduction. Malignant tumors in elderly people are more than ten times more prevalent than in the younger population. The data on the compliance with chemotherapy in older cancer patients managed outside of clinical trials is scarce.
Material and methods. We retrospectively assessed 181 consecutive cancer patients aged 65 years or more who received systemic chemotherapy. The study aimed to examine chemotherapy compliance in a large series of elderly patients managed in routine clinical practice. We also investigated the ability to complete chemotherapy in relation to selected factors, such as tumor type, treatment setting and line, type of chemotherapy, presence of comorbidities, body mass index (BMI), an expected glomerular filtration rate, hemoglobin level (Hb), a neutrophil- to-lymphocyte ratio, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS).
Results. Thirty-three percent of patients did not complete an initially pre-defined chemotherapy plan. The main reasons were disease progression (20%) and unacceptable toxicity (10%). Independent factors related to premature treatment termination included a lower BMI, a lower Hb level, lower PS, and palliative (compared to currative) setting.
Conclusions. In conclusion, premature chemotherapy termination not related to disease progression is relatively rare in elderly patients and may be predicted with routinely used clinical parameters.
Keywords
older patients; solid tumor; chemotherapy; real-world data
About this articleTitle
Chemotherapy compliance in elderly patients with solid tumors: a real-world clinical practice data
Journal
Issue
Article type
Research paper
Published online
2022-09-12
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86
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44
DOI
10.5603/OCP.2022.0009
Keywords
older patients
solid tumor
chemotherapy
real-world data
Authors
Barbara Radecka
Justyna Czech
Agnieszka Siedlaczek
Marcin Maczkiewicz
Agnieszka Jagiełło-Gruszfeld
Renata Duchnowska
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