Benefits and risks of palliative capecitabine based therapy to elderly patients with advanced colorectal cancer: Danish single centre experiences

Abstract

This study aimed to compare efficacy and toxicity of palliative chemotherapy for elderly and younger colorectal cancer patients. Patients aged 24–69 (n = 203) and 70–82 years (n = 57) with advanced colorectal cancer were consequetively treated with first line capecitabine monotherapy or combined with oxaliplatin (XELOX). The response rates were 37% and 33% (P = 0.61), the median times to progression were 5.5 and 6.0 months (P = 0.84, hazard ratio (HR) 1.09; 95% confidence interval: 0.71–1.68), and median overall survival times were 8.4 and 12.5 months (P = 0.07, HR 1.48; 1.04–2.38) for elderly and younger patients, respectively. Elderly patients had similar frequencies of Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC) grade 3 or 4 toxicity (P > 0.05) and number of treatment courses (P = 0.44), and maintained performance status as well as younger patients (P = 0.68). Palliative capecitabine based therapy for advanced colorectal cancer should be considered also for elderly who are in good performance without major comorbidities.