Clinical Course of Cancer in the Elderly

Age is the single greatest risk factor for cancer. More people living longer means a dramatic increase in the number of older patients with cancer. Because older patients are likely to have several chronic diseases, cancer may be just one disease to consider in a given patient, or it may be the "straw that breaks the camel's back." Beyond these obvious facts is the possibility that cancer in the elderly may be somehow different from cancer in those who are younger. To examine this possibility, one can evaluate cancer incidence, presentation, treatment and survival. Breast cancer provides an excellent illustration of some of these parameters.