Background: As the aging of the Japanese population progresses, the administration of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy( AC)to the elderly is also expected to increase.
Objective: To examine the characteristics of AC in cases of colorectal cancer among elderly people aged over 75 years.
Patients: Forty-eight cases of colorectal cancer patients who received AC.
Methods: The clinicopathological factors, including 14 patient-related factors, 6 operation-related factors, and 2 AC-related factors, as well as the long-term outcomes, were compared between the elderly group of patients aged over 75 years(group O, 12 cases)and the non-elderly group(group Y, 36 cases).
Results: Significant differences were observed between groups in neutrophil count(p=0.044), operation time(p=0.044), AC regimen(p=0.006), and administration completion status (p=0.046). Compared to group Y, a higher proportion of oral drug alone(92% vs 39%)and completion rate of the initial setting dose(75% vs 39%)were observed in group O. There was no significant difference in the 2-year disease-free survival rate.
Conclusion: Oral preparations of AC may be useful from the viewpoint of tolerability in the elderly.