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[Cytostatic polychemotherapy in the aged]
Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)
|December 20, 1985
Summary
Older patients receiving combination chemotherapy showed more treatment deviations, likely due to pre-existing conditions, not age itself. Severe pre-existing diseases significantly impact chemotherapy toxicity.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Clinical Pharmacology
Background:
- Combination chemotherapy is a standard treatment for malignant lymphoma and breast cancer.
- Patient age and pre-existing conditions can influence treatment tolerance and outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To retrospectively analyze adherence to chemotherapy regimens in elderly versus younger patients.
- To determine the impact of age and pre-existing diseases on chemotherapy toxicity and dose modifications.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 1446 chemotherapy courses from 291 patients with malignant lymphoma and breast cancer.
- Comparison of treatment deviations (dose adherence, dose reduction, interval changes) between age groups and across different chemotherapy regimens (COP, COPP, CHOP).
Main Results:
- Patients over 60 experienced significantly more deviations from standard regimens with COP and COPP, attributed to non-oncological comorbidities.
- No significant difference in deviations was observed in the CHOP regimen group, where patients with severe pre-existing diseases were excluded.
- Pre-existing diseases were identified as a substantial factor in cytostatic toxicity.
Conclusions:
- Age alone is not a primary risk factor for combination chemotherapy.
- Pre-existing non-oncological diseases significantly influence the toxicity and management of chemotherapy, necessitating careful patient selection and monitoring.