SIOG (International Society of Geriatric Oncology) recommendations for anthracycline use in the elderly

Abstract

A taskforce of the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) has recently submitted recommendations on the use of anthracyclines in elderly patients. Despite the aging of the population and the high proportion of elderly individuals in the population of patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the development of specialist expertise in the treatment of elderly patients with cancer is relatively recent. Treatment of the elderly is complex because they are a highly heterogeneous population, with large variations in health status, comorbidities and life expectancy. In addition, these patients are generally more susceptible than young patients to the cardiotoxic effects of anthracyclines. Strategies for assessing elderly patients with cancer, reducing the risk of congestive heart failure, and assessing the cardiotoxic effects of treatments are discussed. In addition, a summary of the SIOG recommendations is presented.

Figure 1

Number of cases and rate of hematologic disorders and solid tumors per 100,000 population, by patient age at diagnosis. Reprinted with permission from Cancer Research UK, http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/nhl/incidence, October 2010.

Figure 2

Number of randomized, controlled clinical trials in elderly patients (>65 years of age) with cancer over the past 20 years (using the Medline search terms: cancer/elderly; title/abstract; +65; randomized controlled trial). Reprinted from Aapro MS. Launching the Journal of Geriatric Oncology: a historical milestone. J Geriatr Oncol 2010;1:2-3, ^©2010 with permission from Elsevier.