What proportion of older cancer patients enrolls in NCI cancer treatment trials?
An analysis of NCI Cooperative Group trial enrollment from 2001 through 2003 showed that 29 percent of trial participants were 65 years of age or older (internal data, unpublished). A similar analysis of NCI intramural clinical trials from 2001 through 2002 demonstrated that approximately 21 percent of the total number of participating patients belonged to this age group (internal data, unpublished). Experts have suggested several possible explanations for the under-representation of older patients in cancer treatment trials. • Trials often have strict age requirements that prevent elderly patients from enrolling.4 • Older people often have other health problems (co-morbidities) or a history of earlier cancer that limits their ability to participate in trials.4-6 • Elderly patients may be taking drugs that increase the risk of dangerous drug-drug interactions with the medications being studied in a trial.4, 6 • Older patients may be less aware of medical developments that reduce the to
