Is chemotherapy safe for the elderly?
Organ toxicities may be more problematic in the elderly, but in most tumours, the efficacy of chemotherapy is not age dependent. Chemotherapy, where indicated for advanced cancer, can therefore be safely and effectively used in selected elderly patients.
Is there an age limit for chemotherapy?
Although there is no age limit for delivering systemic chemotherapy, the barriers to delivery of systemic chemotherapy are greater with increasing age.
Is chemo hard on the elderly?
If you are an older adult, chemotherapy might affect you differently than someone younger. For example, older adults have a greater risk of physical side effects from chemotherapy, which can affect your quality of life.
When is chemo not recommended?
Chemotherapy usually is NOT recommended for non-invasive, in situ cancers such as DCIS because they have very little risk of spreading to other parts of the body.
How does chemotherapy affect the elderly?
Side Effects in Older Individuals
Elderly patients have a decreased tolerance to chemotherapy in general, with increased incidence of various toxicities. Some side effects are rather drug specific, such as cardiac failure with anthracyclines, or neuropathy with taxanes/cisplatin.
What is the life expectancy after chemotherapy?
During the 3 decades, the proportion of survivors treated with chemotherapy alone increased (from 18% in 1970-1979 to 54% in 1990-1999), and the life expectancy gap in this chemotherapy-alone group decreased from 11.0 years (95% UI, 9.0-13.1 years) to 6.0 years (95% UI, 4.5-7.6 years).
Is chemotherapy really worth it?
Suffering through cancer chemotherapy is worth it — when it helps patients live longer. But many patients end up with no real benefit from enduring chemo after surgical removal of a tumor. Going in, it’s been hard to predict how much chemo will help prevent tumor recurrence or improve survival chances.
Can you be denied chemotherapy?
Can you refuse chemotherapy? Yes. Your doctor presents what he or she feels are the most appropriate treatment options for your specific cancer type and stage while also considering your overall health, but you have the right to make final decisions regarding your care.
Does chemo affect your immune system years later?
How long after chemotherapy is a person’s immune system recovering or compromised? Patients experience a wide spectrum of immunosuppression with cancer treatment. Some patients have very little if any immunosuppression, while others can have a compromised immune system for weeks or even longer.
What happens if you Cannot tolerate chemotherapy?
If cancer does not respond to chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or other treatments, palliative care is still an option. A person can receive palliative care with other treatments or on its own. The aim is to enhance the quality of life.
Should an 80 year old have radiation?
It has been suggested that psychosocial support during and after radiation therapy may improve overall quality of life. We found that in our patients who were age 80 or older, radiation therapy could be safely administered with both curative and palliative intent.
When does immunity return after chemo?
After finishing chemotherapy treatment, it can take anywhere from about 21 to 28 days for your immune system to recover.
How fast does chemo work to shrink tumors?
In general, chemotherapy can take about 3 to 6 months to complete. It may take more or less time, depending on the type of chemo and the stage of your condition. It’s also broken down into cycles, which last 2 to 6 weeks each.
What are signs that chemo is working?
How Can We Tell if Chemotherapy is Working?
- A lump or tumor involving some lymph nodes can be felt and measured externally by physical examination.
- Some internal cancer tumors will show up on an x-ray or CT scan and can be measured with a ruler.
- Blood tests, including those that measure organ function can be performed.
How fast does chemo shrink breast tumors?
A pair of drugs can dramatically shrink and eliminate some breast cancers in just 11 days, UK doctors have shown. They said the “surprise” findings, reported at the European Breast Cancer Conference, could mean some women no longer need chemotherapy.