Palliative therapies in elderly cancer patients

Palliative therapy in elderly cancer patients deserves special attention because of differences between young and elderly cancer patients. In elderly patients, the treatment produces more adverse effects and the disease is cured less frequently, but the prognosis is usually better than in young patients with cancer. In the elderly population, cancer is seen more frequently than in the young population, yet elderly patients are less frequently included in trials. It is obvious that the results obtained from the treatment of young cancer patients do not necessarily apply to elderly cancer patients. The existing lack of formal data for the management of elderly cancer patients justifies 5 distinctive steps: collection of individual information; review of the available and appropriate knowledge; definition and specification of treatment goals; selection of treatment tools; and assessment of outcome. Following these steps will lead to coordination of oncology and palliative medicine.