Aging and the treatment of basal cell carcinoma

Abstract

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most commonly diagnosed type of skin cancer. BCCs are especially prevalent in the elderly population, given their association with cumulative sun exposure and other risk factors. In this contribution, we outline geriatric concepts related to the care of older adults with BCCs. We describe how a patient's life expectancy can be estimated and combined with tumor characteristics to determine lag time to benefit, a concept to better understand whether patients will experience the efficacy of a treatment within their life span. We also review the possibility of current BCC overdiagnosis and summarize the effectiveness, benefits, and risks of common treatments for BCCs, noting that all treatment modalities have special considerations when administered to older adults. In particular, nonsurgical treatments might be preferable for older adults with a limited life expectancy. Ultimately, we argue that the decision of whether and how to treat a BCC should be the result of shared decision-making between the provider and the patient and take into account not only tumor characteristics, but also patient values and preferences.