Author of

• 11929

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  P2.22 - Poster Session 2 - Epidemiology, Etiology (ID 167)

  • Event: WCLC 2013
  • Type: Poster Session
  • Track: Prevention & Epidemiology
  • Presentations: 1
  • Moderators:
  • Coordinates: 10/29/2013, 09:30 - 16:30, Exhibit Hall, Ground Level

  • 11942

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    P2.22-013 - Evaluation of elderly patients with non-small-cell lung cancer in a private Cancer Center in Brazil. (ID 3298)

    09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): L.C. Thuler
    • Abstract

    Background
    At diagnosis approximately 25-40% of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are older 70 years. There is a scarcity of data on this elderly subpopulation. The aim of this study was to report clinical characteristics of this subpopulation, highlighting some challenges in their clinical management.

    Methods
    In this retrospective cohort, data from 631 patients with lung cancer diagnosed from 1995 to 2011 at a private Cancer Center in Brazil were analyzed.

    Results
    At diagnosis, 33% patients (n=214) were older than 70 years. Within this elderly group most patients (n=193; 90%) were classified as NSCLC and became the focus of our analysis. As expected, performance status (PS), staging and smoking were associated with survival (table1). Metastatic disease was present in 60% of this subpopulation, and most patients had good PS (PS0-1: 83%) and 84% were smokers. Additionally, 70% of this group with NSCLC had at least one comorbidity. The median overall survival time was 15 compared to 22 months for patients aged <70 years (p<0.001). In the metastatic group the majority of patients (62%) received only one cycle of chemotherapy (CT) and only 10% received more than 3 cycles. Of note, in patients with stage II and III adjuvant CT was correlated with survival (14 months vs 69 months in no adjuvant CT and adjuvant CT group respectively; p=0,02), although this therapy was administered in only 30% of patients with stage II and 20% of those with stage III. Figure 1

    Conclusion
    These data show that in this cohort elderly patients with NSCLC do constitute a special subpopulation with associated comorbidities. However, despite most of them had good PS at diagnosis, limited oncology treatment options were offered leading to suboptimal treatment. The fact that oncologists do not feel confortable to offer standard oncology treatment for this population may be due to the fact most of clinical trials exclude elderly patients. Although these data were generated in a private Cancer Center in Brazil we believe it mirrors the stiatuation across the country. These results highlight the urgent need for clinical trials focused on elderly patients, in order to provide a better care for those patients.