The CGA adds substantial information on the functional assessment of elderly cancer patients, including patients with a good PS. The role of PS as unique marker of functional status needs to be reappraised among elderly cancer patients.

The CGA adds substantial information on the functional assessment of elderly cancer patients, including patients with a good PS. The role of PS as unique marker of functional status needs to be reappraised among elderly cancer patients.

After completing this course, the reader will be able to:1. Use a modulation of chemotherapy according to modified geriatric assessment to improve outcomes for elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with an acceptable level of toxicity.2. Offer elderly patients the best tailored treatment while minimizing the dose-limiting toxicity.This article is available for continuing medical education credit at CME.TheOncologist.com. CME CME ABSTRACTChemotherapy is associated with toxicity in elderly patients with potentially curable malignancies, posing the dilemma of whether to intensify therapy, thereby improving the cure rate, or deescalate therapy, thereby reducing toxicity, with consequent risks for under-or overtreatment. Adequate tools to define doses and combinations have not been identified for lymphoma patients. We conducted a prospective trial aimed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of chemotherapy modulated according to a modified comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in elderly (aged >70 years) patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). In June 2000 to March 2006, 100 patients were stratified using a CGA into three groups (fit, unfit, and frail), and they received a rituximab plus cyclo-