Gastrointestinal cancer in the elderly

Tumors in the gastrointestinal system are a significant health problem for older adults. If diagnosed at an early stage, many patients are curable. At advanced stages, however, only palliative therapy can be offered. Adjuvant therapy is beneficial only in colorectal carcinoma and a small number of highly selected patients. This article describes the treatment for these cancers as it relates to the older patient population.