Biomedical subjects

P Olmi

Publications and source records attributed to P Olmi.

40 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Radiotherapy in the elderly: a multicentric prospective study on 2060 patients referred to 37 Italian radiation therapy centers.

60-70% of all cancers will develop in the year 2000 in persons aged 65 and over. Radiation therapy will play a major role in the treatment of cancer, especially in the elderly. The Italian "Geriatric Radiation Oncology Group" (GROG) performed in 1994 a prospective study, in order to assess the characteristics of any old cancer patient referred to radiation oncology centers (age, gender performance status, comorbidity, activities of daily living, family status) and the main features of the tumor in that patient. In about 6 months 2060 patients aged 70 and over entered the study, of whom 1809 were treated with radiotherapy alone, with curative intent in 563 patients, in combination with surgery and/or chemotherapy in 476 and with palliative intent in 769 patients. Most patients had grade 0-1 acute toxicity.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Radiation therapy of bone metastases in the elderly: a multicentric survey of the Italian "Geriatric Radiation Oncology Group".

External radiation therapy (ERT) has been reported to be the elective treatment of symptomatic bone metastases. A nationwide survey on the use of ERT in elderly patients with bone metastases has been conducted by the Italian "Geriatric Radiation Oncology Group" with a three-fold aim: define the state of the art of ERT, evaluate the analgesic efficacy and identify the optimal dosage and schedule, if any. 347 patients aged 70 or over, treated in 29 different institutions for a period of six months were analyzed. Conclusive results were: a significant pain relief achieved shortly after ERT completion; an improvement in the quality of life; a decrease in the dose of analgesics and consequently, a reduction in treatment-related costs. Unfortunately the optimal treatment schedule remains unidentified; ERT was neither aggressive nor toxic in this series of elderly patients.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Radiotherapy in the elderly with lung carcinoma: the experience of the Italian "Geriatric Radiation Oncology Group".

One hundred ninety-six patients aged > or = 70 years, with non small-cell lung carcinoma and no evidence of metastasis on staging, observed over a 6-month period in 20 Italian Radiotherapy Centers, were analyzed in order to assess indications for treatment, tolerance of radiotherapy (assessed in terms of completion of planned doses and toxicity), and quality of life using the Performance Status and a concise activity of life test. Of the 196 patients studied in 20 Italian Centers, 182 (98%) underwent radiotherapy, 109(60%) of whom with radical intent and 73 (40%) with palliative intent. Of 179 assessable patients undergoing radiation treatment, 163 (91%) completed the treatment as originally planned. Of the 64 assessable patients who completed palliative radiotherapy, relief of symptoms was observed in a percentage ranging from 78% to 86%. Analysis of parameters assessing the quality of life, showed no significant differences in general and functional conditions, as assessed before and upon completion of radiotherapy.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Radiation therapy in the elderly with head and neck cancer.

Head and neck cancer is quite common in the elderly, its most common origin being the larynx, oropharynx and oral cavity. In patients aged 70 and over, assessment of comorbidity and performance status is very important in order to establish the most suitable therapeutic approach, if feasible. Often radiation therapy is the only choice because the patient general condition may entail an excessively high risk for surgery. In the literature there are scarce studies focusing on radiation therapy and its complications, and only retrospective data are available: for this reason the Italian "Geriatric Radiation Oncology Group" (GROG) has planned a prospective study in order to collect the different results achieved in head and neck cancer treated in the same period with radiation therapy, or surgery or both.

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