--- title: "5-Fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer in elderly patients: a north central cancer treatment group study. | Sutter Health" description: "5-Fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer in elderly patients: a north central cancer treatment group study." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/5-fluorouracil-based-chemotherapy-for-advanced-col-1055312549" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. 5-Fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer in elderly patients: a north central cancer treatment group study. # 5-Fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer in elderly patients: a north central cancer treatment group study. Clin Colorectal Cancer. 2005 Jan;4(5):325-31. 5-Fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer in elderly patients: a north central cancer treatment group study. D'Andre S1, Sargent DJ, Cha SS, Buroker TR, Kugler JW, Goldberg RM, O'Connell MJ, & Poon MA. _Clin Colorectal Cancer. 2005_ 2005-01-20 ## Abstract Although 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy is commonly used in patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC), little data exist on the tolerability and benefit of therapy in elderly patients. To compare toxicity, dose intensity, response rate, time to tumor progression, and overall survival for older and younger patients, we conducted a pooled analysis of 1748 patients, divided into 4 quartile-based age groups, from 4 North Central Cancer Treatment Group trials testing 5-FU with or without leucovorin for advanced CRC. Patients aged > 65 years had modestly higher rates of severe toxicity (grade >/= 3) overall (53% vs. 46%) and higher rates of diarrhea (21% vs. 16%), stomatitis (17% vs. 13%), and infection (4% vs. 2%). Toxicity rates were similar between patients aged 66-70 years and patients aged > 70 years. The response rate did not differ by age group (2-sided; P = 0.90); it was significantly lower for patients with higher performance status scores (30% for score of 0/1; 17% for 2/3; 2-sided; P = 0.001). Performance status, not age, was predictive of time to tumor progression and overall survival. The older patients with CRC treated with 5-FU have modestly higher rates of severe toxicity, mainly diarrhea and stomatitis. Supportive measures to control diarrhea and stomatitis may be particularly important in elderly patients. Age alone should not be used to determine whether older patients are treated, because performance status is predictive of dose intensity, response rate, time to tumor progression, and overall survival. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15663836) ## Research topics - [All Cancer](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22All+Cancer%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Oxalate transport in cultured porcine renal epithelial cells.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/oxalate-transport-in-cultured-porcine-renal-epithe-1055312722) T R Wandzilak 1, L Calo, S D'Andre, A Borsatti, H E Williams T R Wandzilak 1 L Calo S D'Andre A Borsatti H E Williams 1992 Jul 20 - Publication ### [Light at night and health: the perils of rotating shift work.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/light-at-night-perils-of-rotating-shifts-1055312837) Schernhammer ES, Thompson CA. Occup Environ Med. 68(5):310-1. doi: 10.1136/oem.2010.058222. 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Interleukin-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor mediate rapid phosphorylation and activation of cytosolic c-raf. Carroll MP1, Clark-Lewis I, Rapp UR, May WS. J Biol Chem. 1990 Nov 15;265(32):19812-7. Interleukin-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor mediate rapid phosphorylation and activation of cytosolic c-raf. Carroll MP1 Clark-Lewis I Rapp UR May WS. 1990 Nov 20 - Publication ### [Raloxifene is associated with less side effects than tamoxifen in women with early breast cancer: a questionnaire study from one physician's practice.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/raloxifene-is-associated-with-less-side-effects-th-1055312770) J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 2002 Apr;11(3):291-301. J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 2002 Apr;11(3):291-301. 2002 Apr 20 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/5-fluorouracil-based-chemotherapy-for-advanced-col-1055312549#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"5-Fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer in elderly patients: a north central cancer treatment group study."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/5-fluorouracil-based-chemotherapy-for-advanced-col-1055312549#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"5-Fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer in elderly patients: a north central cancer treatment group study.","headline":"5-Fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer in elderly patients: a north central cancer treatment group study.","abstract":"Although 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy is commonly used in patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC), little data exist on the tolerability and benefit of therapy in elderly patients. To compare toxicity, dose intensity, response rate, time to tumor progression, and overall survival for older and younger patients, we conducted a pooled analysis of 1748 patients, divided into 4 quartile-based age groups, from 4 North Central Cancer Treatment Group trials testing 5-FU with or without leucovorin for advanced CRC. Patients aged > 65 years had modestly higher rates of severe toxicity (grade >/= 3) overall (53% vs. 46%) and higher rates of diarrhea (21% vs. 16%), stomatitis (17% vs. 13%), and infection (4% vs. 2%). Toxicity rates were similar between patients aged 66-70 years and patients aged > 70 years. The response rate did not differ by age group (2-sided; P = 0.90); it was significantly lower for patients with higher performance status scores (30% for score of 0/1; 17% for 2/3; 2-sided; P = 0.001). Performance status, not age, was predictive of time to tumor progression and overall survival. The older patients with CRC treated with 5-FU have modestly higher rates of severe toxicity, mainly diarrhea and stomatitis. Supportive measures to control diarrhea and stomatitis may be particularly important in elderly patients. Age alone should not be used to determine whether older patients are treated, because performance status is predictive of dose intensity, response rate, time to tumor progression, and overall survival.","description":"5-Fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer in elderly patients: a north central cancer treatment group study.","keywords":["All Cancer"],"datePublished":"2005-01-20","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/5-fluorouracil-based-chemotherapy-for-advanced-col-1055312549","inLanguage":"en-US","identifier":[{"@type":"PropertyValue","propertyID":"PMID","value":"15663836"}],"sameAs":["https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15663836/"],"isPartOf":{"@type":"Periodical","name":"Clin Colorectal Cancer"},"sourceOrganization":{"@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Institute for Medical Research"},"about":[{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"All Cancer","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22All+Cancer%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"}],"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/5-fluorouracil-based-chemotherapy-for-advanced-col-1055312549","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/5-fluorouracil-based-chemotherapy-for-advanced-col-1055312549#breadcrumblist"}}} ```