TY - JOUR
T1 - Doxorubicin-based chemotherapy in elderly patients with metastatic breast cancer
T2 - Tolerance and outcome
AU - Ibrahim, Nuhad K.
AU - Frye, Debra K.
AU - Buzdar, Aman U.
AU - Walters, Ronald S.
AU - Hortobagyi, Gabriel N.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2007 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1996/4/22
Y1 - 1996/4/22
N2 - Background: Metastatic breast cancer in elderly patients is less often treated with chemotherapy than in younger patients because of concerns related to toxic effects and tolerance. This is especially the case with doxorubicin-containing regimens. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 1011 consecutive patients with metastatic breast cancer treated with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy protocols between July 1973 and July 1984. Age was not an exclusion criterion. Patient characteristics, close intensity, hematologic-related toxic effects, and the cause of death were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted and tested by the generalized Wilcoxon test. Results: Seven hundred sixty-seven patients aged between 50 and 64 years were identified. While the response rate was higher in the younger group, the overall survival curves were similar for the two groups (P=.06), as well as the time to progression of the disease (P=.15). The dose intensity was comparable between the groups (P=.49), as was the median platelet and white blood cell nadirs. Neutropenic fever occurred in 16% of each group (P=83), and fever in 12% and 17% of each group, respectively (P=.05). Death from infections occurred in 3.1% and 3.2% of patients in the two groups, respectively (P=.82). Conclusions: Patients with metastatic breast carcinoma who are older than 65 years tolerate the acute side effects of doxorubicin-based combination chemotherapy as well as the younger age group. Time to progression of disease and the overall survival are similar for both groups. Doxorubicin-based regimens are safe and effective for patients older than 65 years.
AB - Background: Metastatic breast cancer in elderly patients is less often treated with chemotherapy than in younger patients because of concerns related to toxic effects and tolerance. This is especially the case with doxorubicin-containing regimens. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 1011 consecutive patients with metastatic breast cancer treated with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy protocols between July 1973 and July 1984. Age was not an exclusion criterion. Patient characteristics, close intensity, hematologic-related toxic effects, and the cause of death were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted and tested by the generalized Wilcoxon test. Results: Seven hundred sixty-seven patients aged between 50 and 64 years were identified. While the response rate was higher in the younger group, the overall survival curves were similar for the two groups (P=.06), as well as the time to progression of the disease (P=.15). The dose intensity was comparable between the groups (P=.49), as was the median platelet and white blood cell nadirs. Neutropenic fever occurred in 16% of each group (P=83), and fever in 12% and 17% of each group, respectively (P=.05). Death from infections occurred in 3.1% and 3.2% of patients in the two groups, respectively (P=.82). Conclusions: Patients with metastatic breast carcinoma who are older than 65 years tolerate the acute side effects of doxorubicin-based combination chemotherapy as well as the younger age group. Time to progression of disease and the overall survival are similar for both groups. Doxorubicin-based regimens are safe and effective for patients older than 65 years.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0029996460&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0029996460&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1001/archinte.156.8.882
DO - 10.1001/archinte.156.8.882
M3 - Article
C2 - 8774207
AN - SCOPUS:0029996460
SN - 0003-9926
VL - 156
SP - 882
EP - 888
JO - Archives of Internal Medicine
JF - Archives of Internal Medicine
IS - 8
ER -