Abstract
There are almost 12 million cancer survivors in the US today, and this number will increase dramatically with the aging of the population. The first baby-boomers turned 65 years old in 2011 and their generation will be diagnosed with common age-related malignancies such as breast, colorectal and prostate cancers. The vast majority of these individuals will have disease detected through screening, and thus can expect long-term survival; however, in addition, the presence of comorbid condition such as hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, and cardiopulmonary disease may synergistically affect their function and outcomes after cancer treatment. In addition, pre-existing comorbid conditions may influence the choice of cancer directed therapies. Obesity and physical inactivity increase with aging and may predispose to the initial cancer diagnosis, as well as second cancers. This talk will focus on the clinical epidemiology of cancer survivorship, and the set the stage for the other talks in this session. We will use this opportunity to address cancer prevention strategies in cancer survivors who are a high risk population, vulnerable for second cancers and other late effects of cancer treatment.
Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):ED02-01.
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