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What Chemotherapy Is Practicable in Aged Patients?

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Multidisciplinary Management of Rectal Cancer

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Abstract

The number of elderly patients diagnosed with rectal cancer (RC) is very high and, considering colon and rectal cancer (CRC), is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in the elderly [1]. However, the number of older patients enrolled in clinical trials is underrepresented and in most cases elderly population undertreated. Although, with the introduction of new treatments and better diagnostic techniques and surgical procedures, a better outcome is achievable today also in elderly patients diagnosed with resectable or metastatic rectal cancer, overall survival rate remains low. This is probably due to less aggressive diagnostic evaluation; less intensive chemotherapy, including anticipatory drug dose reduction or empiric schedule alteration; less aggressive surgery; and, finally yet importantly, also social conditions and limited access to healthcare system of elderly population with cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oncolgia Medica, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy

    Carmelo Pozzo & Ernesto Rossi

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  1. Carmelo Pozzo
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  2. Ernesto Rossi
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Correspondence to Carmelo Pozzo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Università Cattolica S Cuore, Rome, Italy

    Vincenzo Valentini

  2. Head, Div. Clinical Oncology Research, University Clinic Halle (Saale), Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany

    Hans-Joachim Schmoll

  3. Department of Surgery, Leiden Univ Med Ctr, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Cornelis J. H. van de Velde

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Pozzo, C., Rossi, E. (2018). What Chemotherapy Is Practicable in Aged Patients?. In: Valentini, V., Schmoll, HJ., van de Velde, C. (eds) Multidisciplinary Management of Rectal Cancer. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43217-5_42

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43217-5_42

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-43215-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-43217-5

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