Acute Toxicities and Advers Events of Chemoradiotherapy in Young and Older Adults

OBJECTIVE To evaluate, according to age, the acute toxicity and adverse events, such as interruption or cessation of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and weight loss, in cancer patients. METHODS A total of 813 patients, 67% aged <65 years and 33% aged >= 65 years, were analyzed retrospectively. Toxicities were graded according to the acute radiation morbidity measurement criteria of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group. RESULTS For all patients, 5% of the younger and 12% of the elderly patients (p<0.001) ended CRT, 1% of the younger and 4% of the elderly patients died during treatment (p=0.007). There were differences between the groups treated for brain cancer in terms of performance status (p=0.010), cessation (p=0.001), interruption (p=0.026), and death during treatment (p=0.043). For head and neck cancer, the results showed differences in comorbidity (p<0.001), performance status (p=0.017), and death during CRT (p=0.021). In the thoracic area, differences were found in comorbidity (p=0.015), CRT interruption (p=0.014), grade 1-2 skin toxicity (p=0.025), pharynx/esophagus (p=0.002), upper gastrointestinal tract (p=0.036), and hematocrit (p=0.032). For the abdominal area, differences were observed in comorbidity (p<0.001) and grade 1-2 platelet toxicity (p=0.029). For the pelvis, differences were seen in comorbidity (p<0.001), performance status (p=0.045), and CRT interruption (p=0.032). CONCLUSION Cessation, interruption, and death during CRT were observed more frequently in elderly patients.