Cancer survivorship issues: life after treatment and implications for an aging population

Abstract

The US population of cancer survivors age ≥ 65 years will continue to grow rapidly over the next few decades. This growth will be driven largely by the aging of the national population. With the diffusion of earlier detection and more effective therapies, the majority of these individuals can expect to live long term after diagnosis. This often vulnerable group of survivors poses significant challenges for both researchers and clinicians with regard to how best to document and address its unique health care needs. In this article, we briefly review the long-term and late-occurring effects of cancer and its treatment in older survivors, review information on current patterns of post-treatment care and the evolving guidelines for this care, and discuss opportunities for future research.

Fig 1.

Estimated number of persons with history of cancer from 1971 to 2008, by age group, projected through the year 2030. Data adapted.

Fig 2.

2014 prevalence by age, sex, and duration among cancer survivors age ≥ 65 years. Prevalence was projected for 2014 using SEER data and applying Prevalence Incidence Approach Model, a method that calculates prevalence from cancer incidence, cancer survival, and all-cause mortality.