Management of Elderly Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in Turkey

Objective: Non-small cell lung cancer is a disease that affects the elderly. However, most patients older than70 years are less likely to receive standard therapy than their younger counterparts and the aim of the presentstudy was to determine age-dependent variation in efficacy. Subjects and
Methods: Between 2004-2008, 40consecutive patients older than 70 years received treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer. All wereevaluated for response and toxicity. Chemotherapy was either with cisplatin or carboplatin and double or singleagents (vinorelbine, gemcitabine). Docetaxel was used as a second line therapy in selected cases. Patients weregrouped according to age: group 1 (70-74 years), group 2 (≥ 75 years).
Results: Except for 4 cases, all receivedchemotherapy, and 61 % were given a cisplatin-containing regimen. Second-line therapy was given to 42.5%and grades 3-4 neutropenia was seen in 17 (42.5%). Only one patient died due to neutropenic fever. Nephrotoxicitywas observed in 2 (5%) and one underwent hemodialysis. Overall survival was 10 months, with median survivalperiods for groups 1 and 2 of 13 and 10 months, respectively (p>.05). No differences were found regarding typeof chemotherapy administered or adverse events between the 2 groups.
Conclusion: Patients older than 75years appear to deserve the same standard therapy for non-small cell lung cancer as that given to younger cases.