Cancer in the elderly.

ABSTRACT

Cancer, the dreaded killer disease, has its aetiology in several factors like genetic, environmental, diet habits, etc. Age over 65 years is generally considered elderly and the cancer incidence increases with age. Cancer is second to cardiovascular disease for the cause of death in the elderly. The behaviour of certain cancers also differ in the elderly thus adding to the ultimate outcome that is usually confounded by several comorbid illnesses. The prognostic factor varies with type of cancer. Older patients with Hodgkin's disease and acute myeloid leukaemia do worse than breast cancer. Radiation therapy is well tolerated by the elderly.