Cancer chemotherapy in elderly cancer patients

Older patients may benefit from chemotherapy to an extent comparable with that of younger patients if some proper precautions are taken. These include selection of the patients on the basis of life expectancy and tolerance of treatment, prophylactic use of hemopoietic growth factors for moderately toxic chemotherapy (cytoxan, adriamycin, oncovin [vincristine], prednisone [CHOP] and CHOP-like regimens), adjustment of the first treatment dose to the glomerula filtration rate, maintenance of hemoglobin levels > or = 12 g/dL, and selection of agents with a more favorable toxicology profile. This approach is outlined in the National Cancer Center Network guidelines for the management of cancer in the older person.