Elderly patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) participating in concurrent chemoradiotherapy trials fared worse than younger patients, according to an analysis involving 3,600 individuals.

Investigators evaluated 16 National Cancer Institute–supported studies of concurrent chemoradiotherapy alone or with consolidation or induction chemotherapy for stage III NSCLC conducted between 1990 and 2012. They looked at overall and progression-free survival and adverse events in patients age ≥ 70 (n=2,768) and those <70 years (n=832). Among the results:

• Elderly patients had worse overall survival.
• Progression-free survival was similar in both groups.
• Elderly patients were 35% more likely to experience grade ≥3 adverse events.
• 9% of patients in the older contingent experienced grade 5 adverse events, vs 4% of younger patients.
• Treatment was finished in 47% and 57%, respectively.
• Death occurred in ~8% and 3%, respectively.