ABSTRACT
Life expectancy has increased dramatically in decades, producing an equally dramatic expansion in the size of the elderly population. Cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in older adults, its incidence rising appreciably with age. Cancer is now more frequently screened for, detected earlier, and aggressively treated in older adults, as reflected in a policy shift by the National Institute of Health regarding the former exclusion of the elderly from most clinical trials. In addition, given that the number and severity of chronic health conditions increase with age, the cancer diagnosis may not initiate the family's caregiving role, but rather expand upon or add to an already existing set of care responsibilities. The physiological changes in organ function associated with aging place the older cancer patient at increased risk for treatment-related toxicities and may contribute to the emergence of late-treatment effects on normal tissues and vital organs, months and even years following treatment completion.
