Epidemiology of Aging and Cancer

Worldwide, individuals aged 50 and older bear 90% of the cancer mortality burden, making cancer an aging-related disease. However, given the under-representation of older patients with cancer on clinical trials, this extremely vulnerable population has remained under-investigated until recently. The heterogeneity of general health and functional status among older adults makes screening for cancer as well as treatment of cancer a major challenge. This collection of articles highlights the current issues in the geriatric oncology field, from understanding the true incidence of cancer in the aging population, to the benefit of cancer screening in the context of functional status of older adults, or in the context of previous screen results. These articles also examine the sociodemographic disparities in outcomes among the older populations with cancer. Finally, investigators are attempting to examine the association between leisure time physical activity and life expectancy, setting the stage for future interventions.