title: Malignant melanoma in elderly patients: biological, surgical and medical issues.
abstract: Malignant melanoma is an aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis for patients with advanced disease. Over the last decades, its incidence and mortality has increased in elderly population, impacting significantly on healthcare costs, considering the increase in average age of the world population. Older age is recognized as an independent poor prognostic factor for melanoma, but the scientific community now is wondering if elderly melanoma patients have worse outcome because they are not receiving the same treatment as their younger counterparts. This article summarizes current data on elderly melanoma prevention and early detection and its subsequent management, underling the differences observed between older and younger patients. It also describes age-associated alterations in immunity and how these may impact on anti-melanoma response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Pathology and Oncology, Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Functional Genomics, University of Catania, 85 Androne Avenue, Catania 95124, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessia E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferraù
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Antonelli
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Priolo
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: McCubrey
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Libra
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
keywords: age-related immune system imbalances; elderly patients; melanoma; multimorbidity; physician prejudice; practice bias