Cetuximab efficacy and safety in a retrospective cohort of elderly patients with heavily pretreated metastatic colorectal cancer

BackgroundFew data are available from clinical trials for elderly patients receiving cetuximab.Patients and methodsThe clinical data of consecutive patients aged ≥70 years given cetuximab for metastatic CRC were retrospectively captured from hospital pharmacy registries in seven centers.ResultsFifty-six patients received cetuximab ± with irinotecan. Median age was 76 years (70–84), 86% of patients were pretreated with fluoropyrimidines, irinotecan and oxaliplatin and 69.6% had documented resistance to irinotecan. Objective response rate was 21% (95% CI: 11–32%). The median progression-free survival was 4.4 months (95% CI: 3.0–5.7 months) and the median overall survival was 16.0 months (95% CI: 13.5–18.5 months). Skin rash occurred in 75% of the patients (11% grade 3) and diarrhea in 80% (20% grades 3–4).ConclusionTolerability of cetuximab was acceptable in elderly patients with pretreated metastatic CRC. Efficacy appeared similar to that observed in younger patients.