TY - JOUR
T1 - Cancer in the older person
AU - Carreca, Ignazio
AU - Balducci, Lodovico
AU - Carreca, Ignazio
AU - Extermann, Martine
PY - 2005
Y1 - 2005
N2 - Cancer in the older person is an increasingly common problem, due to the progressive prolongation of the life-expectancy of the Western population. This article reviews the mechanisms associating aging and cancer, age-related changes in cancer biology, assessment of the older person to estimate life-expectancy, treatment tolerance, and medical and social conditions that may interfere with cancer treatment, effectiveness of cancer prevention and cancer treatment in older individuals. A comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is commonly used to predict life-expectancy and functional reserve and to unearth conditions that may jeopardize cancer prevention and treatment. In the interest of cost and time, shortened forms of CGA are being explored. Chemoprevention of cancer is a promising form of prevention that at present has no conclusive clinical indications. Early diagnosis of breast and colon cancer through screening of asymptomatic patients at risk may be beneficial for individuals with a life-expectancy of 5 years or longer. Early detection of lung cancer in ex-smokers is undergoing clinical trials, as this disease is becoming more and more common. Age should not prevent appropriate treatment of cancer in older individuals, especially in those with adequate life-expectancy and functional reserve. The National Cancer Center Network (NCCN) has issued a series of guidelines to minimize the toxicity and promote the effectiveness of cancer in older patients. Important interventions include prevention of neutropaenic infections with filgrastim and peg-filgrastim, prevention of anaemia with epoietin or darbepoietin, and prevention and early management of mucositis.
AB - Cancer in the older person is an increasingly common problem, due to the progressive prolongation of the life-expectancy of the Western population. This article reviews the mechanisms associating aging and cancer, age-related changes in cancer biology, assessment of the older person to estimate life-expectancy, treatment tolerance, and medical and social conditions that may interfere with cancer treatment, effectiveness of cancer prevention and cancer treatment in older individuals. A comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is commonly used to predict life-expectancy and functional reserve and to unearth conditions that may jeopardize cancer prevention and treatment. In the interest of cost and time, shortened forms of CGA are being explored. Chemoprevention of cancer is a promising form of prevention that at present has no conclusive clinical indications. Early diagnosis of breast and colon cancer through screening of asymptomatic patients at risk may be beneficial for individuals with a life-expectancy of 5 years or longer. Early detection of lung cancer in ex-smokers is undergoing clinical trials, as this disease is becoming more and more common. Age should not prevent appropriate treatment of cancer in older individuals, especially in those with adequate life-expectancy and functional reserve. The National Cancer Center Network (NCCN) has issued a series of guidelines to minimize the toxicity and promote the effectiveness of cancer in older patients. Important interventions include prevention of neutropaenic infections with filgrastim and peg-filgrastim, prevention of anaemia with epoietin or darbepoietin, and prevention and early management of mucositis.
KW - COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR
KW - COMPREHENSIVE GERIATRIC ASSESSMENT
KW - COOPERATIVE-ONCOLOGY-GROUP
KW - DIFFUSE HISTIOCYTIC LYMPHOMA
KW - ELDERLY-PATIENTS
KW - NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA
KW - PRIMARY-CARE PATIENTS
KW - PROSTATE-CANCER
KW - RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED-TRIAL
KW - SURGICAL ADJUVANT BREAST
KW - COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR
KW - COMPREHENSIVE GERIATRIC ASSESSMENT
KW - COOPERATIVE-ONCOLOGY-GROUP
KW - DIFFUSE HISTIOCYTIC LYMPHOMA
KW - ELDERLY-PATIENTS
KW - NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA
KW - PRIMARY-CARE PATIENTS
KW - PROSTATE-CANCER
KW - RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED-TRIAL
KW - SURGICAL ADJUVANT BREAST
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10447/11099
M3 - Article
VL - 31
SP - 380
EP - 402
JO - Cancer Treatment Reviews
JF - Cancer Treatment Reviews
SN - 0305-7372
ER -