Treatment and complications in elderly stage III colon cancer patients in the Netherlands

Background We evaluated which patient factors were associated with treatment tolerance and outcome in elderly colon cancer patients. Design Population-based data from five regions included in the Netherlands Cancer Registry were used. Patients with resected stage III colon cancer aged ≥75 years diagnosed in 1997–2004 who received adjuvant chemotherapy ( N = 216) were included as well as a random sample ( N = 341) of patients who only underwent surgery. Results The most common motives for withholding adjuvant chemotherapy were a combination of high age, co-morbidity and poor performance status... Mehr ...