Glioblastoma: approach to treat elderly patients

• Main Authors: Luciola de Barros Pontes, Theodora Karnakis, Suzana Maria Fleury Malheiros, Eduardo Weltman, Reynaldo André Brandt, Rafael Aliosha Kaliks Guendelmann
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert Einstein
• Series: Einstein (São Paulo)
• Subjects: glioblastoma; idoso; avaliação geriátrica; radioterapia; antineoplásicos alquilantes
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1679-45082012000400021&lng=en&tlng=en

Treating elderly cancer patients is a challenge for oncologists, especially considering the several therapeutic modalities in glioblastoma. Extensive tumor resection offers the best chance of local control. Adequate radiotherapy should always be given to elderly patients if they have undergone gross total resection and have maintained a good performance status. Rather than being ruled out, chemotherapy should be considered, and temozolomide is the chosen drug. A comprehensive geriatric assessment is a valuable tool to help guiding treatment decisions in elderly patients with glioblastoma.