Management of hematologic malignancies in the elderly: 15-year experience at the Aviano Cancer Center, Italy

The optimal management of hemopoietic malignancies in the elderly requires specific strategies targeted at the peculiar clinico-biologic features of s uch patients. In the time frame spanning from 1983 to 1998, several clinica l trials have been performed at the Aviano Cancer Center, Italy, aimed at e xtending the knowledge of natural history of hemopoietic malignancies in th e elderly and evaluating the efficacy and toxicity of different chemotherap y programs specifically devised for older subjects affected by acute myeloi d leukemia, myelodysplasia, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, or multiple myeloma. H ere the most relevant results are summarized and information stemmed from s uch studies. The present report rather than provide a comprehensive review on hematologic neoplasms in the elderly, mainly reflects the 'philosophy' d eriving from 15 years of studies of the group in the field of geriatric onc ology/hematology. Elaboration of a 'consensus' view will represent the chal lenge for all the investigators involved in such an important field of rese arch. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.