Managing the risk of toxicity in the treatment of elderly patients with soft tissue sarcomas

Introduction Nearly half of soft tissue sarcomas (STS) occur after the age of 65 years. Treating these patients is a complex issue in the absence of specific guidelines. Areas covered This is a narrative review that summarizes current data on the efficacy and the safety of different treatment strategies in this subpopulation. Expert opinion Age per se should not be a limiting factor to treatment. Surgery remains the treatment of choice offering the only chance of cure. The potential for benefit from adjuvant therapies must be discussed in the context of expected treatment-related toxicities and impairment of quality of life. Efficacy of systemic treatment in advanced disease did not differ from that in younger patients. However, safety must be considered when selecting treatments. Managing the risk of toxicity requires an assessment of vulnerabilities with validated tools. The Comprehensive geriatric assessment has become increasingly accepted but need to be validated in STS patients. Frailty should not exclude patients from potentially life-saving therapy. The correction of reversible conditions and active supportive care may make the treatment safer. Future studies are warranted to define better the patterns, benefits, risks of existing treatments. New options remain to be identified to reduce toxicity.