title: [Medical treatment of cancer in the elderly].
abstract: Paralleling increasing life expectancy, the number of cases of cancer in our population is also on the increase. The question as to whether chemotherapy for the treatment of a tumor in the elderly is appropriate or not, and if so what doses are required, depends in particular on the potentially increased toxicity of the drug in the old patient. The consequence is that alternative substances may have to be sought. When planning treatment, however, additional factors have to be taken into account, such as the possibility of differences in the physiology of the tumor in the elderly, the general state of health of the patient, the presence of concomitant diseases, possible interactions with other medications, and the patient's social environment.
authors.affiliation: Hämatologisch-onkologische Gemeinschafts Praxis, Augsburg. markus.bangerter@hop-augsburg.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bangerter
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Heinrich
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brudler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000188:drug therapy; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D010166:Palliative Care; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents