Genito-Urological Cancers in Elderly Patients
ANTI-CANCER AGENTS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY, vol.13, no.9, pp.1391-1405, 2013 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 13 Issue: 9
- Publication Date: 2013
- Doi Number: 10.2174/18715206113136660351
- Journal Name: ANTI-CANCER AGENTS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
- Page Numbers: pp.1391-1405
- Keywords: Elderly, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, renal cancer, chemotherapy, surgery
- Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Age is now widely accepted as the greatest single risk factor for developing cancer, and cancer is considered primarily as a disease of the elderly. Furthermore, a characteristic of aging is the progressive deterioration of immune function known as immunosenescence. In addition to the increased risk of occurrence of cancer among older patients, they are more predisposed to poor outcomes after definitive treatment. Therapies, outcomes and mortality are often influenced by age and elderly must have a specific and a multidisciplinary approach. It is obvious to consider that one should not consider "age" as the only risk factor, but the condition that this determines to the organism, like the presence of co-morbidities and the consequent poor response to treatment. Cancer occurs frequently in association of one or more other chronic diseases, that affect the efficacy of various treatment interventions.