How do you manage therapy in an elderly, >80 years of age, patient with triple-negative breast cancer that is not a surgical candidate?

Treatment decisions for these patients can best be made based on geriatric assessment, estimated life expectancy, whether the treatment goal is prolonged survival or palliation, the potential benefits and toxicities of a specific treatment, and the patient’s personal goals for treatment. The number of older patients with triple-negative breast cancer will continue to grow as the population ages. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of clinical trial data pertaining to treatment of cancer in the eld...

It isn't clear from the way the question is asked whether this (real or hypothetical) elderly patient is not a surgical candidate due to the extent of her disease (locally advanced) or due to medical comorbidities. However, in either case my answer would be the same, unless her medical condition is so compromised as to preclude even relatively gentle chemotherapy (in which case I might consider a short course of radiation if she is having local pain or is at risk for ulceration).

I would administ...