ABSTRACT
During the 20th century, the number of persons under 65 years of age living in the United States has tripled; however, the number of persons over 65 years of age has multiplied by a factor of 11 (1). The older population is expected to double by the year 2030 (Fig. 1). The percentage of women 65 years of age and older has also continued to increase from 13.1% in 1980 to 14.6% in 1990 (2). Among this age group, an estimated 157,800 women died of cancer in 1990, which is second only to cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of mortality (3). Cancer is the leading cause of mortality in women between the ages of 35-75 years. The incidence of most cancers increases with age. Approximately 50% of all cancers, and 60% of cancer deaths, occur in people over 65 years of age (4). As the population continues to age and the number of elderly cancer patients continues to increase, it is essential that the medical community not only learn and understand cancer biology pertinent to the aged but also appreciate the unique concerns and quality of life expectations of the elderly. For these patients, it is unfortunate that most of what we know about the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of specific cancers comes from studies conducted in younger patient populations (5).
