[Radiation therapy in elderly patients]

Challenge of cancer in the elderly

Despite the sustained trend of decreasing overall cancer incidence, the number of elderly patients with cancer will considerably increase in the coming years, as the incidence of cancer is elevated 11-fold after the age of 65 years compared to adults up to 65 years. This soon-to-erupt tsunami of elderly patients with cancer requires adequate treatment, for which guidelines and evidence-based data are still scarce, given the longlasting under-representation of elderly patients with cancer in cancer trials. Older adults present not only with the physiological decreases of organ functions related to age, but also with an individual burden of comorbidities, other impairments and social factors that might impact on their potential for undergoing cancer care. Close collaboration with gerontologists and other health professionals to assess the personal resources and limitations of each person enables providing adequate therapy to elderly patients with cancer. There are promising achievements in each of the requirements listed, but a huge, holistic effort has still to be made.

Results and special considerations when treating elderly patients with CyberKnife®: a review of 345 cases

The relatively recent introduction of CyberKnife® in the field of radiotherapy has prompted the question of accessibility and usefulness of this technique for seniors. From June 2007 to June 2009, we treated 345 patients of all ages with CyberKnife as part of a single-center study. Median age was 61 years (range, 8-86 years). Ninety-eight patients were over 70 and 17 were older than 80. The treatment could not be completed with 2% (2/98) patients over 70 vs. 3.6% (9/247) among the younger (ns). Physiologic or psychologic problems in maintaining position for a long time were not more frequent among those over 70. The same was true with those over 80. Patients over 70 years old are able to tolerate CyberKnife treatment as efficiently as their younger counterparts. Elderly patients should not be restricted from access to CyberKnife radiosurgery with curative intent.