Elderly colorectal cancer patients are under treated

摘要

As the elderly increase as a percentage of the total population the number of elderly patients is also likely to represent an increasing proportion of the total number of colorectal cancer patients (CRC) treated. There is already clear evidence that elderly CRC patients ([greater-or-equal, slanted]70 years) are under treated and under represented in clinical trials although it is clear from the results of recent trials that the exclusion of elderly patients from clinical studies is not warranted. In selected patients, without serious co-morbidities and a good performance status, chemotherapy is well tolerated with an efficacy similar to that seen in younger patients. However, physicians need new scales to evaluate changes in function, mental health, nutrition, co-morbidity and quality of life in these patients. Importantly, not only does there need to be a willingness on behalf of the clinician to treat the elderly but also a willingness on the part of the elderly to be treated. These issues will be discussed in the light of the new data available relating to the elderly and to elderly CRC patients in particular.