Background/Aims: Pancreatic cancer is a disease seen predominantly in elderly patients. Chemotherapy (CTx), which is one of the standard treatments for locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer, is considered therapeutic modality with high risk in elderly patients. This study investigated the outcome and tolerability of chemotherapy in elderly patients with pancreatic cancer.

Methods: Between January 2010 to January 2016, 226 patients were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Among them, patients with over 70 years old were reviewed retrospectively and clinical parameters, survival rate from initial chemotherapy, and adverse events during chemotherapy were analyzed.

Results: Among 226 patients, 84 patients (34.7%) were older than 70 years of age and gemcitabine-based chemotherapy was performed in 57 patients (CTx group) and 27 patients were not received chemotherapy (non-CTx group). The overall median survival of total elderly patients was 8.2 months and the median survival of each group was 10.3 months in CTx group and 3.7 months in non-CTx group (p = 0.042). The incidence of adverse events such as bone marrow suppression (neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and anemia) was not different between younger patients (< 70 years) and older patients. The independent negative prognostic factors associated with survival were lower Karnofsky performance status (≤80) and presence of distant metastasis.

Conclusions: The survival benefit can be achieved through gemcitabine-based chemotherapy in elderly patients without frequent adverse event. Karnofsky performance status and distant metastasis are independent prognostic factors.

Biography:
Professor Ho Gak Kim has completed his M.D. at the age of 26 years from Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Taegu, South Korea. He is the Chief of Physician at Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu, South Korea since 2013. He has published more than 100 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as a president of Korean Pancreatobiliary Association since 2014, and editorial board member of Clinical Endoscopy.