title: Lung cancer in the elderly.
abstract: Half of all lung cancers occur in persons aged 65 years and older. The symptoms of lung cancer in the elderly may be nonspecific and misleading. Age trends in incidence, histologic subtype, and stage suggest that selective screening of older persons for lung cancer should be studied. Recent data reveal that the mortality risk for lung cancer surgery in selected elderly patients is comparable to that for younger patients. Age alone should not deny older lung cancer patients optimal evaluation, treatment, and care.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010166:Palliative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects