Safety of solid oncology drugs in older patients: a narrative review
Adrien Rousseau, Arthur Géraud, Romain Geiss, Anaïs Farcet, Jean‐Philippe Spano, Anne‐Sophie Hamy, Paul Gougis
Abstract
The older population represents ∼50%-60% of the population of newly diagnosed patients with cancer. Due to physiological and pathological aging and the increased presence of comorbidities and frailty factors, this population is at higher risk of serious toxicity from anticancer drugs and, consequently, often under-treated. Despite the complexity of these treatments, a good knowledge of the pharmacology of anticancer drugs and potentially risky situations can limit the emergence of potentially lethal toxicities in this population. This review focuses on optimizing systemic oncology treatments for older patients, emphasizing the unique characteristics of each therapeutic class and the necessity for a precautionary approach for this vulnerable population.