Survival benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for muscle invasive bladder cancer in elderly patients

Cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (C-NAC) has been the standard of care in localized muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). However, the feasibility and benefit of C-NAC in elderly patients remain uncertain since this population has always been underrepresented in pivotal trials and is often barred from chemotherapy in routine practice because of their perceived frailty. Therefore, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of C-NAC in elderly patients with MIBS, we retrospectively reviewed the medical files of patients (cT2-4, N0-3, and M0) treated at our institution and aged 75 or older at the time of the first chemotherapy cycle. From May 2012 to March 2020, 51 patients aged 75 to 90 received C-NAC. Among them, 38 patients received methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (MVAC) and 13 patients received gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC). In this study, the primary endpoint was the feasibility of C-NAC, evaluated as the percentage of patients who underwent at least four chemotherapy cycles. Overall feasibility of a complete four-cycle chemotherapy course was 75% (dose-dense MVAC [dd-MVAC]: 76%; GC: 69%). Incidence of grade 3-4 adverse events was 57%, mostly driven by hematological toxicity from dd-MVAC, and the incidence of febrile neutropenia was 6%. These results indicate the feasibility of C-NAC in elderly patients without any contraindication to cisplatin. A coordinated multidisciplinary approach, including a geriatric oncologist, may help to identify patients at increased risk for chemotherapy-induced toxicity, especially in patients aged 85 or older.

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Use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in elderly patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer: A population-based study, 2006 to 2017.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2021.39.15_suppl.4536 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. 4536-4536

Author(s):

Natasza Posielski ◽

Nathan Jung ◽

Hannah Koenig ◽

On Ho ◽

John Paul Flores ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bladder Cancer ◽

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy ◽

Elderly Patients ◽

Radical Cystectomy ◽

Private Insurance ◽

Age Groups ◽

Invasive Bladder Cancer ◽

Median Income ◽

Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer ◽

Muscle Invasive

4536 Background: Current guidelines recommend neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) prior to radical cystectomy (RC) for muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). NAC has been shown to confer a survival benefit across all ages. Yet, many elderly patients are not offered NAC due to concern regarding physiologic reserve and postoperative complications. Our objective was to evaluate age-based disparity in treatment and outcomes of MIBC. Methods: Using the National Cancer Database, we identified patients with MIBC from 2006-2017. First, use of different treatments, RC, RC and adjuvant chemotherapy, RC with NAC (“optimal treatment”), chemo-radiation, and no treatment, was compared between age groups. A second analysis was performed in the cohort of elderly patients, ≥70, undergoing cystectomy. Propensity weighting was used to compare peri-operative and mortality outcomes in those who received NAC vs. no NAC. Results: In 70,911 patients with non-metastatic MIBC, use of RC with NAC was lower in patients ≥70, 7.2 vs. 20.9%, p<0.001 (Table). Patients receiving RC with NAC were younger, had private insurance, higher high school completion rate and median income, shorter distance to hospital, lower CCI, diagnosis in recent years, and higher stage disease. NAC use was also associated with pelvic lymph node dissection (OR 4.55, p<0.001). In patients ≥70 undergoing RC, NAC was associated with shorter length of stay (LOS) (8.5 vs 9.6 days, p<0.001), decreased 30-day readmission (8.6 vs 10.6%, p=0.003), lower 30- and 90-day mortality (1.9 vs 3.6%, p=0.01 and 4.9 vs 7.7%, p=0.004, respectively), and better overall survival (OS) (43.8% vs. 37.5%, p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression found NAC as an independent predictor of shorter LOS, lower 30-and 90-day mortality, and improved OS. Conclusions: Despite increased omission of NAC in patients ≥70, NAC is not associated with worse peri-operative outcomes or mortality in elderly patients. Advanced age in properly selected patients should not preclude offering NAC prior to radical cystectomy.[Table: see text]

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