Gemcitabine therapy for unresectable pancreatic cancer in elderly patients

Abstract

We evaluated the therapeutic effect of gemcitabine (GEM) therapy in 153 unresectable pancreatic cancer (UPC) patients, divided into younger patients (under 65), early-stage elderly patients (age 65-74) and advanced-stage elderly patients (age 75 and over). Among those patients who received only best supportive care (BSC), the most common reasons to be selected for BSC were family requests in the advanced-stage elderly patients, and poor general condition in the rest.
Among the patients who received GEM therapy, there were no significant differences in response rate, or adverse events including the rate of dose reduction, postponement or cessation of GEM administration due to toxicity. Multivariate analysis using patient backgrounds and response to GEM therapy showed that CA 19-9 response and performance status did not change with age.
GEM therapy for both early-stage and advanced-stage elderly UPC patients was as safe and useful as in younger patients.