AN ANALYSIS OF THE OUTCOMES OF TREATMENT OF SMALL-CELL LUNG-CANCER INTHE ELDERLY

Background: Many cases of small cell lung cancer will occur in the eld erly population but optimal management of the disease in this age grou p remains uncertain, Aims: To evaluate treatment of small cell lung ca ncer in the elderly in Australia and to compare treatment received and outcomes with those of younger patients. To draw insights from these observations into the optimal management of small cell lung cancer in the elderly. Methods: A retrospective review of treatment charts and c ase notes for 51 elderly patients and 102 younger patients was underta ken. Results: Elderly patients had similar baseline parameters with re spect to disease stage and performance status. Elderly patients were m ostly treated uniformly with combination chemotherapy, but suffered mo re dose reductions than younger patients. Benefits of chemotherapy wer e seen even in patients with poor performance status. Despite tile dos e reductions, response rates and survival rimes for elderly patients w ere usually similar to younger patients. Conclusions: Combination chem otherapy is beneficial ro elderly patients with small cell lung cancer . Optimal therapy for the elderly may be different from that for young er patients and should be defined through prospective randomised clini cal trials.