[Prostate cancer in the elderly patient]

Although malignant tumours occur at all ages, cancer disproportionately strikes individuals in the age group 65 years and older. The increasing statistical life expectancy of men together with the introduction of prostate specific antigen (PSA) as a screening tool have both contributed to a rising number of elderly men with a diagnosis of prostate cancer. Age is generally considered to be a key prognostic factor in terms of therapeutic decision making, perhaps as important as PSA level and Gleason score. Even in men over 70 years, treatment without curative intent may deprive frail patients of years of life. When considering local treatment, strong consideration should be given to radical surgery. Modern radical prostatectomy is associated with low perioperative morbidity, excellent clinical outcomes as well as long term disease control. Besides, overdiagnosis has led to the concept of expectant management for screening-detected small-volume, low grade disease, with intention of providing therapy for those men experiencing disease progression.