Posted on 10/06/2025 8:58:57 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
Colorectal cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death, with incidence rising among older adults. One of the most pressing clinical questions has been whether elderly patients should receive oxaliplatin, a standard component of adjuvant chemotherapy that is known to cause serious side effects.
To address this, Dr. Jun Woo Bong conducted a large-scale population study.
The team examined health records from more than 8,500 patients with stage II or III colorectal cancer who underwent surgery followed by chemotherapy between 2014 and 2016. Patients were divided into two groups: those treated with oxaliplatin-based combinations, and those given standard chemotherapy alone. Using advanced statistical methods, the researchers systematically tested whether an age threshold existed at which oxaliplatin stopped providing survival benefits.
The results were decisive. In stage III patients aged 70 or younger, oxaliplatin reduced the risk of death by 41%, boosting five-year survival from 78% to nearly 85%. But in those older than 70, oxaliplatin did not improve survival and was linked to higher rates of treatment discontinuation. In fact, almost 40% of older patients receiving oxaliplatin stopped chemotherapy early, often due to toxicity. For stage II patients of any age, oxaliplatin showed no added survival benefit.
"The most important point is that oxaliplatin improves survival only in patients with stage III colorectal cancer who are aged 70 years or younger. Beyond 70, the benefit disappears, and oxaliplatin is associated with higher discontinuation rates due to toxicity," said Dr. Bong.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
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Excellent!👍
My thoughts also.
Paging Dr. Bong. Paging Dr. Bong. Please report to the smoking lounge immediately.
If oxaliplatin is not beneficial to patients over 70, then chemo for elderly colon cancer patients can be administered without what is arguably the worst side effect of FOLFOX.
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