Safety and outcome of chemoradiotherapy in elderly patients with rectal cancer: Results from two French tertiary centres

BackgroundThe risks of chemoradiotherapy in elderly patients with rectal cancer have not yet been well-characterised.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients with rectal cancer over 70 years old who were treated with chemoradiotherapy in two French university hospitals.ResultsA total of 125 patients were evaluated. Mean age was 75.1 ± 4.1 years and ranged from 70 to 90 years. Adverse effects ≥ grade 2 were observed in 32% of the patients and adverse effects ≥ grade 3 in 15%. Dose reduction for toxicity was performed in 18% of the patients and chemoradiotherapy discontinuation was necessary in 9%. Postoperative morbidity was 16% with two treatment-related deaths. Two-year survival rate was 84%. No variables had any influence on treatment-related adverse events.ConclusionsIn selected elderly patients, chemoradiotherapy is well-tolerated, without any significant increase in adverse events, and the results are similar to those recorded in younger patients.