Efficacy and safety of adjuvant therapies in older patients with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of real-world data

Insufficient data available for older patients with breast cancer complicates decision-making regarding optimal treatment. A systematic review that uses real-world data is required for assessing the effectiveness and potential adverse effects of various therapies for this age group of patients. Databases of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched. We included clinical studies that evaluated various treatments for geriatric breast cancer, including adjuvant radiation therapy, hypofractionated radiation therapy (hypo-RT) and accelerated and partial breast irradiation (APBI), endocrine therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. A total of 71 studies were retrieved. Adjuvant radiation therapy significantly improved overall survival (OS) compared with no radiation [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.60, 95