Onkologie. 2018:12(6):267-271 | DOI: 10.36290/xon.2018.048

Breast cancer in elderly

Iveta Kolářová^1,2,3, Jaroslav Vaňásek^1,2,3,4, Karel Odrážka^{1,2,3,4,5,6,7}, Aleš Hlávka^1,3, Jan Štuk¹, Lukáš Sákra³, Jana Mergancová³

¹ Multiscan, s. r. o., Pardubice

² Fakulta zdravotnických studií Pardubice, Univerzita Pardubice

³ Nemocnice Pardubického kraje, a. s., Pardubická nemocnice

⁴ Fakulta vojenského zdravotnictví Hradec Králové, Univerzita obrany, Hradec Králové

⁵ 1. lékařská fakulta UK Praha

⁶ 3. lékařská fakulta UK Praha

⁷ Katedra radiační onkologie IPVZ Praha

A typical age of the czech patient with breast cancer is 60–69 years. Epidemiological studies confirmed that breast cancer in olderwomen usually had more favorable biological characteristics, such as high percentage of luminal A types. Despite the generalopinion that breast cancer in older age is an indolent disease, there is clearly evidence of higher disease-specific mortality incomparison with younger patients. This fact is probably related to the use of less aggressive drug therapy. In older patients, thetreatment decision should begin with an estimate of life expectancy, an assessment of the general condition, and proceed todiscussion of the benefits and risks of treatment. The problem of treatment in the elderly is that there is little evidence on theoptimal treatment decisions. The American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines for geriatric oncology were published in 2018.The guidelines provide recommendations on the use of clinical assessment tools and decision making models for older patients.Clinicians should use results of the evaluation when recommending individual therapeutic plan that can be adjusted in the case ofolder patients. In indicated cases, surgery, radiation as well as drug therapy can be modified to become less aggressive. Particularcandidates for less radical therapy are vulnerable patients with a short life expectancy or with favorable biological characteristicsof the tumor.

Keywords: breast cancer, older age, therapy, ASCO guidelines 2018

Published: December 15, 2018  Show citation