Impact of age on treatment trends and clinical outcome in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Clinical outcomes in older adults with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) are poorly understood, particularly in the era of targeted therapies. We characterize survival and relevant treatment-related variables in a modern series. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From an institutional database including 562 patients with RCC, a total of 219 patients with metastatic disease were identified for the current analysis. Survival was assessed in four age-based cohorts: (1) age<55, (2) age 55­64, (3) age 65­74, and(4) age≥75. The number of lines of therapy rendered was collected for each patient, and the reason for treatment discontinuation was characterized. RESULTS: Of the 219 patients assessed, median age was 58 (range, 26­87), and most patients had clear cell histology (82%) and prior nephrectomy (70.9%). The majority of patients were characterized as intermediate-risk (53%) by MSKCC criteria. Median survival in patients age≥75 was 12.5 months, as compared to 26.4 months for patients age<75 (P=0.003). Patients age≥75 received fewer lines of systemic therapy as compared to other age-based subsets, and more frequently discontinued therapies due to toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Older adults represent a unique subpopulation of patients with mRCC, with distinct clinical outcomes. Further research is warranted to better understand the safety and tolerability of current therapies for mRCC in this group.

Preoperative therapy for localized prostate cancer: a comprehensive overview.

At the 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, two studies of preoperative systemic therapy for localized prostate cancer garnered significant attention. In the first, investigators evaluated various permutations of conventional hormonal therapies prior to prostatectomy, with detailed biomarker studies focused on tissue androgens. In the second, investigators assessed the novel CYP17 lyase inhibitor abiraterone prior to prostatectomy. Both studies provide a wealth of biological information, but the question remains - will preoperative systemic therapy ultimately be incorporated into clinical algorithms for prostate cancer? Herein, the existing literature for both preoperative hormonal and chemotherapeutic approaches is reviewed. We performed a MEDLINE search of published prospective and retrospective clinical studies assessing preoperative systemic therapy for prostate cancer from 1982 onwards, revealing a total of 75 publications meeting these criteria. Of these, 55 possessed a number of patients (i.e., greater than 10) deemed worth of the current analysis. Beyond outlining these datasets, we discuss the relevance of clinical and pathologic endpoints in assessing preoperative therapy.