Pharmacology of antineoplastic medications in older cancer patients

Older patients are more susceptible to the complications of chemotherapy, and may be less equipped to react to these complications. After an introduction to the basic principles of geriatric medicine, this article explores the treatment of older cancer patients with systemic chemotherapy, including discussions of the pharmacology of aging, the effectiveness and toxicity of antineoplastic treatment in this population, and issues that need to be addressed in future clinical trials.
Aging is associated with a progressive decline of function increased prevalence of comorbidity, slower cognition, and progressive sensorial deprivation. [1] Together, these changes lead to decreased functional reserve of multiple [...]