Management of central nervous system tumours in the elderly

Brain tumours in the elderly show differences from the general population in their spectrum of incidence, their molecular profile and their response to treatment. Furthermore, this population also finds it more difficult to tolerate the treatments applied to younger patients. For these reasons it is justified to investigate older patients separately and to devise treatments applicable specifically to this population. In recent years important information has come from the research literature that allows us to make specific recommendations for the management of elderly patients with brain tumours. Here we review the important publications and document these recommendations.