Antineoplastic chemotherapy of the older cancer patient

Cancer chemotherapy may be effective and safe in older patients if some pro per provisions are made. Doses of chemotherapy should be adjusted to the pa tient's glomerular filtration rate, and his or her hemoglobin should be mai ntained for the duration of the therapy. For patients who are 70 years of a ge or older and who are receiving moderately toxic chemotherapy, growth fac tors should be used. The risk of mucositis increases with the age of the pa tient, so it is important to treat it aggressively at the first signs of th e complication.