Age does not worsen the efficacy nor tolerance to combined induction therapies in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Background: One third of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) affects elderly patients in a locally advanced (LA) stage. Induction therapy followed by a curative approach is becoming the standard-of-care for LA-NSCLC.

Patients and methods: We compared the efficacy and tolerance to induction chemotherapy or chemo-radiation followed by surgery or definitive radiotherapy in patients younger (N=64) and older (N=44) than 70 years with LA-NSCLC.

Results: Elderly patients trended towards having a worse baseline performance status, and presented a higher percentage of IIIB, and squamous tumors. Nevertheless, no significant differences in response rate, operability, or disease-free and overall survival were found between age groups in the whole series, nor in the sub-group of resected patients. Grade 3-4 toxicity tended to be lower in elderly patients.

Conclusion: Age by itself did not significantly worsen either the efficacy or tolerance to combined induction and definitive treatment in patients with LA-NSCLC and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-2.

Keywords: Chemoradiation; chemotherapy; elderly patients; induction treatment; locally advanced; non-small cell lung cancer.