Outcomes and tolerability of systemic chemotherapy for pancreatic or biliary cancer patients aged 75 years or older.

BACKGROUND The incidence of pancreatic or biliary tract cancer is increasing in our aging population, but little is known of treatment outcomes in elderly patients with pancreatic or biliary tract cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with pancreatic or biliary tract cancer who received chemotherapy in our institute between September 2007 and August 2009 were retrospectively reviewed to compare treatment outcomes between the elderly (aged 75 years or older) and the younger patients. Data were collected of patient backgrounds, adverse events and dose intensity within the first two cycles and overall survival time. RESULTS Of the 102 who met the inclusion criteria, 19 were elderly who were introduced to full dose chemotherapy. Medication for their comorbidities was required in 15 (79%) of the 19 elderly patients and in 27 (33%) of 83 younger patients. The frequencies of haematological adverse events of grades 3 or 4 were 42% and 39%, and those of non-haematological adverse events were 21% and 16%, for the elderly and younger, respectively. Similar dose intensities were delivered to the elderly and younger. Also, similar proportions of elderly and younger received dose reductions. There was no difference in overall survival between the elderly and the younger. CONCLUSION No clear difference in treatment outcomes was seen between the elderly and the younger patients who received gemcitabine alone. Gemcitabine chemotherapy appears to be safe and the same treatment effect was seen even in older patients with pancreatic or biliary tract cancer.