RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF RADIOTHERAPY FOR LUNG-CANCER IN PATIENTS AGED 75 YEARS AND OVER

Background: radiotherapy is widely used in the management of lung canc er but there are few data on its use in elderly patients. Methods: ret rospective review of case notes of ail patients aged 75 pears and over referred to a regional centre for radiotherapy with a diagnosis of lu ng cancer over 1 year. Results: of 149 patients referred, full informa tion was available on 144 (97%); age range 75-93 years (mean 79). Main referral sources were chest physicians [68 (44%)], general physicians [40 (28%)] and geriatricians [20 (14%)]; all patients were accepted f or radiotherapy One hundred and thirty-four (93%) had palliative treat ment with most [129 (90%)] receiving 1-5 fractions over 1 week and 117 (81%) having treatment as an outpatient. Palliation appeared good for haemoptysis but less effective for the more common symptoms of dyspno ea and cough. Side effects were reported by 25 patients (18%) and were usually mild. Conclusion: radiotherapy for lung cancer in this select ed group of elderly patients is well tolerated with responses similar to those in younger patients.