Nearly two-thirds of elderly patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) did not receive cancer-directed care, according to a study involving >12,600 individuals. Investigators analyzed the treatment records of participants from the National Cancer Database who were aged ≥80 years and were diagnosed with stage III NSCLC between 2004 and 2013. Among the results:

• Median age at the diagnosis was 83 years.
• 63% received no therapy.
• Blacks were 23% more likely to receive no therapy.
• Those living in lower educated areas were 20% more likely to receive no therapy.
• Patients treated at an academic center were 20% more likely to receive cancer-directed therapy.
• Patients who received no treatment were nearly 3 times more likely to experience worse overall survival than those who received chemoradiation.
• Patients who did not receive chemoradiation were 58% more likely to experience worse overall survival.