Lung Cancer in the Older Patient

Cancers of the lung and bronchus are the leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women in the United States, and two-thirds of new lung cancer cases are diagnosed in patients over age 65. There are few dedicated clinical trials in the elderly, leading to both undertreatment and overtreatment biases. Even fit older adults experience age-related decline in physiologic reserve, and additional issues of polypharmacy, geriatric syndromes, and inadequate social support are not uncommon, leading to disparities in treatment and survival. This review discusses the challenges in balancing benefits and harms in management of lung cancer in elderly patients.