Abstract
PurposeLung cancer remains the top cause of cancer morbidity and mortality in the world. Although the identification of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations could predict efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), testing for predictive biomarkers are not always possible due to tissue availability. The overall therapeutic decision remains a clinical one for a significant proportion of elderly patients with advanced stage lung cancer but no known EGFR mutation status. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome of drug treatment modalities in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for elderly with advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to identify clinical parameters that could predict treatment outcome. MethodsClinical records of patients aged 70 years or older with advanced-stage NSCLC who have received treatment were reviewed. A group of gender- and histology-matched subjects younger than age 70 years were identified as controls. ResultsFifty-six elderly patients were included. The median age at diagnosis was 73 years; 60.7 % received only one line of treatment. Baseline performance status (PS) was the only predictor of improved PFS (p = 0.042) and OS (p = 0.002). There was no difference in survival between the upfront chemotherapy and the TKI groupsConclusionsIn elderly with advanced-stage NSCLC without known EGFR mutation status, use of EGFR–TKI and chemotherapy resulted in comparable survival benefits. Age was not predictive of worse treatment outcome. The baseline PS should be taken into consideration in the therapeutic decision in elderly with NSCLC where the EGFR mutation status is not known.
Highlights
Lung cancer remains the top cause of cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide [1]
There was no difference in survival between the upfront chemotherapy and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) groups Conclusions In elderly with advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without known epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status, use of EGFR–TKI and chemotherapy resulted in comparable survival benefits
Elderly patients were underrepresented in clinical trials on cancer treatment (22 % of subjects were older than age 65 years, and 8–13 % older than age 70 years) [5]; the proportion of elderly (i.e., [70 years of age) included in the IDEAL 1 and 2 [6], INTACT [7, 8], IPASS [9], and NCIC–BR21 [10] studies were 4.9, 7.5, 27, and 22 % respectively, and the mean age of subjects in the TALENT [11] and TRIBUTE [12] trials were 59.1 ± 10.01 and
Summary
Lung cancer remains the top cause of cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide [1]. In Hong Kong, lung cancer ranks the top in cancer incidence and mortality [2]. With increasing life expectancy over the past decades, the incidence of lung cancer in the elderly population is increasing. In Hong Kong, the median age at diagnosis was 71 for men and 73 for women [2]. This subgroup does represent a significant healthcare burden, but their proportion is expected to grow with our aging population. Elderly patients were underrepresented in clinical trials on cancer treatment (22 % of subjects were older than age 65 years, and 8–13 % older than age 70 years) [5]; the proportion of elderly (i.e., [70 years of age) included in the IDEAL 1 and 2 [6], INTACT [7, 8], IPASS [9], and NCIC–BR21 [10] studies were 4.9, 7.5, 27, and 22 % respectively, and the mean age of subjects in the TALENT [11] and TRIBUTE [12] trials were 59.1 ± 10.01 and
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