Chemotherapy toxicity in elderly population ≥65 years: A tertiary care hospital experience from India

Context: Trials in the elderly have established that older individuals may benefit from chemotherapy to the same extent as younger individuals. Although the elderly patient is a prototype for cancer, very few clinical trials focus on the therapeutic decisions most directly facing older adults. Aims:...

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Main Authors: Aditi Mittal, Amit Agrawal, Sandeep Batra, Chandragouda Dodagoudar, Suhail Qureshi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 2019-01-01
Series:Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ijmpo.org/article.asp?issn=0971-5851;year=2019;volume=40;issue=4;spage=531;epage=535;aulast=Mittal
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author Aditi Mittal
Amit Agrawal
Sandeep Batra
Chandragouda Dodagoudar
Suhail Qureshi
author_facet Aditi Mittal
Amit Agrawal
Sandeep Batra
Chandragouda Dodagoudar
Suhail Qureshi
author_sort Aditi Mittal
collection DOAJ
description Context: Trials in the elderly have established that older individuals may benefit from chemotherapy to the same extent as younger individuals. Although the elderly patient is a prototype for cancer, very few clinical trials focus on the therapeutic decisions most directly facing older adults. Aims: This study was undertaken to study the chemotherapy-induced severe toxicity among elderly. Settings and Design: This study was a prospective, observational cohort study. The study commenced in October 2014 after obtaining clearance from the hospital ethics and protocol committee. Subjects and Methods: A total of 100 patients were included in the study. All patients were of age ≥65 years, had malignancy, and were planned to start with chemotherapy. Development of Grade 3/4/5 nonhematologic (NH) or Grade 4/5 hematologic (H) toxicities was taken as the development of severe toxicity. Statistical Analysis Used: The quantitative variables were expressed as a mean ± standard deviation and compared using unpaired t-test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Overall, 64 (64%) patients were able to complete their prescribed treatment. Forty-four patients (44%) of our study cohort experienced Grade 4 H or Grade 3/4 NH toxicity. The most common H Grade 4 toxicities were neutropenia (6%) and thrombocytopenia (5%). The most common NH toxicities were fatigue (18%), infection (10%), and cardiac abnormalities (4%). Conclusions: Less than 50% of elderly patients experience severe chemotherapy-related toxicity. First 30 days are most important for toxicity assessment as 45% of patients experienced toxicity in this time frame.
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spelling doaj-art-8b12c789ce7c476eb3f9febb13ae1fed2025-08-20T03:37:35ZengThieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd.Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology0971-58510975-21292019-01-0140453153510.4103/ijmpo.ijmpo_62_18Chemotherapy toxicity in elderly population ≥65 years: A tertiary care hospital experience from IndiaAditi MittalAmit AgrawalSandeep BatraChandragouda DodagoudarSuhail QureshiContext: Trials in the elderly have established that older individuals may benefit from chemotherapy to the same extent as younger individuals. Although the elderly patient is a prototype for cancer, very few clinical trials focus on the therapeutic decisions most directly facing older adults. Aims: This study was undertaken to study the chemotherapy-induced severe toxicity among elderly. Settings and Design: This study was a prospective, observational cohort study. The study commenced in October 2014 after obtaining clearance from the hospital ethics and protocol committee. Subjects and Methods: A total of 100 patients were included in the study. All patients were of age ≥65 years, had malignancy, and were planned to start with chemotherapy. Development of Grade 3/4/5 nonhematologic (NH) or Grade 4/5 hematologic (H) toxicities was taken as the development of severe toxicity. Statistical Analysis Used: The quantitative variables were expressed as a mean ± standard deviation and compared using unpaired t-test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Overall, 64 (64%) patients were able to complete their prescribed treatment. Forty-four patients (44%) of our study cohort experienced Grade 4 H or Grade 3/4 NH toxicity. The most common H Grade 4 toxicities were neutropenia (6%) and thrombocytopenia (5%). The most common NH toxicities were fatigue (18%), infection (10%), and cardiac abnormalities (4%). Conclusions: Less than 50% of elderly patients experience severe chemotherapy-related toxicity. First 30 days are most important for toxicity assessment as 45% of patients experienced toxicity in this time frame.http://www.ijmpo.org/article.asp?issn=0971-5851;year=2019;volume=40;issue=4;spage=531;epage=535;aulast=Mittalchemotherapyelderlyhematologicnonhematologictoxicity
spellingShingle Aditi Mittal
Amit Agrawal
Sandeep Batra
Chandragouda Dodagoudar
Suhail Qureshi
Chemotherapy toxicity in elderly population ≥65 years: A tertiary care hospital experience from India
Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology
chemotherapy
elderly
hematologic
nonhematologic
toxicity
title Chemotherapy toxicity in elderly population ≥65 years: A tertiary care hospital experience from India
title_full Chemotherapy toxicity in elderly population ≥65 years: A tertiary care hospital experience from India
title_fullStr Chemotherapy toxicity in elderly population ≥65 years: A tertiary care hospital experience from India
title_full_unstemmed Chemotherapy toxicity in elderly population ≥65 years: A tertiary care hospital experience from India
title_short Chemotherapy toxicity in elderly population ≥65 years: A tertiary care hospital experience from India
title_sort chemotherapy toxicity in elderly population ≥65 years a tertiary care hospital experience from india
topic chemotherapy
elderly
hematologic
nonhematologic
toxicity
url http://www.ijmpo.org/article.asp?issn=0971-5851;year=2019;volume=40;issue=4;spage=531;epage=535;aulast=Mittal
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AT amitagrawal chemotherapytoxicityinelderlypopulation65yearsatertiarycarehospitalexperiencefromindia
AT sandeepbatra chemotherapytoxicityinelderlypopulation65yearsatertiarycarehospitalexperiencefromindia
AT chandragoudadodagoudar chemotherapytoxicityinelderlypopulation65yearsatertiarycarehospitalexperiencefromindia
AT suhailqureshi chemotherapytoxicityinelderlypopulation65yearsatertiarycarehospitalexperiencefromindia