(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study suggests older women with breast cancer, who are otherwise in good health, may be dismissed as candidates for treatment with chemotherapy.

Previous data shows secondary treatment chemotherapy in women with early stage breast cancer significantly improves survival for women in their 50s and 60s, but there is little data among women ages 70 and older. Researchers suggest chemotherapy may be significantly underused or dosages may be too low for this population.

Researchers from the Vermont Cancer Center in Burlington and the Cancer and Leukemia Group B analyzed data from clinical trials of treatments for breast cancer patients from over a 14-year period. The trials compared more aggressive and less aggressive chemotherapy regimens.

Researchers found no association between age and disease-free survival. Both older and younger women had similar reductions in breast cancer mortality and recurrence from regimens with aggressive chemotherapy. However, only 8 percent of patients studied were ages 65 or older, and about half of new breast cancer cases occur in this age group.

Researchers conclude, "Our study adds to the increasing number of trials that suggest that older patients in fair to good health tolerate standard chemotherapy regimens, and even more intensive regimens, almost as well as younger patients. The data from this study should help to encourage clinicians to offer healthy older patients participation in newer trials."