The elderly cancer patient: the interplay between age and clinical decision-making

Oncology affects millions of elderly patients. Despite this significant and growing population, there are few randomized trials in geriatric oncology. As a result, the treatment of this age group is often controversial. The physician often faces many unanswered questions regarding the best treatment strategy for his or her elderly patients. This article aims to demonstrate how the lack of research in the area of geriatric oncology represents a barrier to treatment decisions. Further, we will describe the interaction between age, comorbidity and cancer, and how these variables can affect treatment and outcomes in the elderly.