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Epidemiology of Cancer and Aging

  • Chapter
Biological Basis of Geriatric Oncology

Part of the book series: Cancer Treatment and Research ((CTAR,volume 124))

Conclusions

A review of the epidemiology of cancer and age allows concludes:

  • Age is a risk factor both for cancer and carcinogenesis, at least up to age 95;

  • Multiple primary malignancies are more common in older individuals. In many case each of these neoplasms is amenable to cure or life-prolonging treatment. Possible exceptions include localized low grade prostate cancer in men aged 70 plus and smoldering acute leukemia

  • The biological behavior of cancer may be altered with age: in some cases the neoplasm may become more resistant to chemotherapy, in other cases more aggressive and in other cases more indolent;

  • Cancer is prevalently a disease of healthy elderly individuals whose life expectancy and quality of life may be compromised by cancer.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Senior Adult Oncology Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida

    Lodovico Balducci (Program Leader and Professor of Oncology and Medicine)

  2. University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida

    Lodovico Balducci (Program Leader and Professor of Oncology and Medicine)

  3. Multidisciplinary Oncology Institute, Clinique de Genolier, Switzerland

    Matti Aapro (Director)

Authors
  1. Lodovico Balducci
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  2. Matti Aapro
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida, USA

    Lodovico Balducci MD (Professor of Oncology and Medicine and Program Leader) & Martine Extermann MD, PhD (Associate Professor of Oncology and Medicine) (Professor of Oncology and Medicine and Program Leader) &  (Associate Professor of Oncology and Medicine)

  2. Senior Adult Oncology Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA

    Lodovico Balducci MD (Professor of Oncology and Medicine and Program Leader) & Martine Extermann MD, PhD (Associate Professor of Oncology and Medicine) (Professor of Oncology and Medicine and Program Leader) &  (Associate Professor of Oncology and Medicine)

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Balducci, L., Aapro, M. (2005). Epidemiology of Cancer and Aging. In: Balducci, L., Extermann, M. (eds) Biological Basis of Geriatric Oncology. Cancer Treatment and Research, vol 124. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-23962-6_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-23962-6_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-23961-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-23962-0

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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