Use of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy for rectal cancer among the elderly: A population-based study

Abstract

Purpose: Combined adjuvant fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy with radiation is now the standard of care for locally advanced rectal cancer in the United States. We investigated the use of these treatments for stages II and III rectal cancer among the elderly and the effectiveness of these treatments on a population-based scale. Patients and Methods: The linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results-Medicare database was used to identify 1,807 Medicare beneficiaries ≥ 65 years of age with stage II or III rectal cancer who underwent surgical resection between 1992 and 1996. We excluded members of a health maintenance organization in the 12 months before or 4 months after their diagno..