ABSTRACT
The management of cancer in the older aged person is an increasingly common aspect of oncologic practice.1 The central questions concern effectiveness and safety of antineoplastic therapy, clinical criteria to identify patients who may benefit from treatment, and individualized management plans. To address these questions, in this chapter we review the influence of age on various forms of cancer treatment, explore the basis of treatment-related decisions in older persons with cancer, and propose areas for future investigation. Age itself is not a contraindication to cancer treatment. Individualized treatment plans, based on appropriate diagnosis, staging, and Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), are most beneficial to older patients.
