How old is "too old" for translational research?

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Targeted therapies are now widely used for lung cancer management. Numerous biomarkers are performed in these patients in the diagnosis phase and have consequences on patient's management. There are some changes during elderly which can influence the biology of cancer; particularly mitochondrial dysfunction and deregulation of nutrient sensing. Elderly patients are candidate to these biological assessments, like younger ones. METHODS: We review all the published papers based on Mesh carries with "elderly", "lung cancer", "targeted therapy". RESULTS: After description of biological modification during elderly, the use of targeted therapies in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is presented and discussed. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and antiangiogenic molecules were depicted in selected or unselected population. CONCLUSIONS: Targeted therapies can be used in older patients with lung cancer and are sometimes an optimal choice in this particular population.