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.