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Management of endometrial, ovarian and cervical cancer in the elderly: current approach to a challenging condition

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Abstract

Purpose

Gynaecological cancer management in older people represents a current challenge. Therefore, in the present paper, we aimed to gather all the evidence reported in the literature concerning gynecological cancers in the elderly, illustrating the state of art and the future perspectives.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, IBECS, BIOSIS, Web of Science, SCOPUS and Grey literature (Google Scholar; British Library) from January 1952 to May 2017, using the terms “ovarian cancer”, “endometrial cancer”, “cervical cancer”, “gynecological cancers” combined with ‘elderly’, ‘cancer’, ‘clinical trial’ and ‘geriatric assessment’.

Results

The search identified 81 citations, of which 65 were potentially relevant after initial evaluation and met the criteria for inclusion and were analyzed. We divided all included studies into three different issue: “Endometrial cancer”, “Ovarian cancer” and “Cervical cancer”.

Conclusions

The present literature review shows that, in spite of the higher burden of comorbidities, elderly patients can also benefit from standard treatment to manage their gynecological cancers. It is important to overcome the common habit of undertreating the elderly patients because they are more fragile and with a lower life expectancy than their younger counterpart. Further trials with elderly women are warranted.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Department of Human Pathology in Adulthood and Childhood “G. Barresi”, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98125, Messina, Italy

    Salvatore Giovanni Vitale & Antonio Simone Laganà

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Istituto per la Sicurezza Sociale, 47893, Cailungo-Borgo Maggiore, Republic of San Marino

    Stella Capriglione

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, Via dell’Istria 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy

    Gabriella Zito

  4. Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Salvatore Lopez

  5. Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy

    Salvatore Lopez

  6. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Umberto I Hospital, Enna, Italy

    Ferdinando Antonio Gulino

  7. Department of General Surgery and Medical Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, Via Tindaro 2, 95124, Catania, Italy

    Federica Di Guardo

  8. Department of Woman and Child Health, University of Padua, Via Giustiniani 3, 35128, Padua, Italy

    Amerigo Vitagliano & Marco Noventa

  9. Unit of Psychodiagnostics and Clinical Psychology, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 78, 95124, Catania, Italy

    Valentina Lucia La Rosa

  10. Department of General Surgery and Medical Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 78, 95124, Catania, Italy

    Fabrizio Sapia, Gaetano Valenti & Agnese Maria Chiara Rapisarda

  11. Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Ospedale di Cattinara, Strada di Fiume 447, 34149, Trieste, Italy

    Isabel Peterlunger

  12. Unit of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Desenzano del Garda Hospital, Section of Gavardo, Via A. Gosa 74, 25085, Gavardo, Brescia, Italy

    Diego Rossetti

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  1. Salvatore Giovanni Vitale
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  2. Stella Capriglione
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Contributions

Substantial contributions to conception and design: Salvatore GV, SC, SL, FAG, ASL. Drafting and revising the artic1e critically for important intellectual content: GZ, AV, MN, VLR, FS, GV, AMCR. Final approval of the version to be published: IP, DR.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stella Capriglione.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no proprietary, financial, professional or other personal interest of any nature in any product, service or company. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

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Vitale, S.G., Capriglione, S., Zito, G. et al. Management of endometrial, ovarian and cervical cancer in the elderly: current approach to a challenging condition. Arch Gynecol Obstet 299, 299–315 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-018-5006-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-018-5006-z

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