Concomitant radical non-platinum radiochemotherapy for elderly patients with invasive bladder cancer

Abstract

e16135 Background: Treatment of bladder cancer in elderly patients is a challenging problem because surgery is often not tolerable and the combination of extensive radiotherapy with chemotherapy is also difficult because of patients’ compliance and associated comorbidities. Our study evaluated concurrent radiochemotherapy in elderly patients with locally advanced bladder cancer (T2-T4) in terms of efficacy and tolerability. Methods: Between January 2005 and December 2007, we treated 34 patients with transitional carcinoma of the bladder, with or without nodal involvement, no distant metastases, and median age 79 years (range 66 - 89 years). Their performance status was 0–1-2 in 10–16–8 patients respectively. Cardiovascular comorbidities were the most common (15 patients). The treatment consisted in conformal radiotherapy (mean irradiation dose = 56.4 Gy) concomitant with biweekly Gemcitabine 200 mg/sqm starting on day 1 of radiotherapy. Results: Response was assessed at 4–6 weeks after the end of treatment by cystoscopy with biopsies and MRI. All the patients could end the intended radiation therapy but four of them could not tolerate all the chemotherapy. 13 patients achieved complete response, 12 patients - partial response and 9 patients stable disease. The most common toxicities were: diarrhea (grade 1–2 in 11 patients, grade 3–6 patients), cystitis (grade 1–2 in 5 patients), leucopenia (grade 1–2 in 12 patients, grade 3–4 in 2 patients), thrombocytopenia (grade 1–2 in 6 patients) and anemia (grade 1–2 in 4 patients). Three patient required hospitalization for dehydration and two for febrile neutropenia. After a median follow-up time of 17.4 months, there were 7 relapses and 5 distant metastases. One-year survival rate was 82.41% (28 patients). 6 patients died, 3 from their cancer and 3 from comorbidities. Conclusions: Chemoradiation is well enough tolerated even in elderly patients and also an efficient and organ sparing therapeutic alternative for patients over 65 years old. The treatment choice was based on patients’ preference considering better quality of life with bladder preservation. The use of age-specific therapy adjustments has shown that aggressive treatment for bladder cancer is associated with improved survival even in elderly patients. No significant financial relationships to disclose.