Cancer Management in Older Women

This chapter discusses the issues related to screening, treatment, and management of cancers in elderly women. The behavior of some cancers appears to be age- and gender-related. It is well established that older patients with acute myelocytic leukemia (AML), lymphoma, and ovarian and brain cancer have a worse prognosis compared with younger patients. On the other hand, women with lung cancer and melanoma have a better prognosis in comparison with men. Approximately 40% of all newly diagnosed breast cancers in the United States occur in women older than the age of 65. Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in women and ranks third in cancer deaths. In women of age more than 80 years, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death, surpassing even breast cancer. Ovarian cancer is the seventh most common cancer in women, but it is the number one cause of death from gynecologic cancer. The median age for ovarian cancer is about 63 years and its incidence increases with age, peaking in the age group of 70 to 74 years. Women are more likely to get small cell carcinoma, and female gender is associated with a better prognosis. Within the non-small cell lung cancer group, there is an increasing incidence of adenocarcinomas. Women are more likely to have adenocarcinoma than men.