Geriatric gastrointestinal oncology: liver, gallbladder, pancreas

The median age of patients diagnosed with cancer of the liver or pancreaticobiliary system is beyond 70 years. This will further increase in the future. However, geriatric patients are not adequately addressed in prospective clinical trials in oncology. Chronological age per se does not constitute a contraindication against stage-adopted therapies. Published data do not substantiate that chronological age is the dominant influencing factor on posttherapeutic survival. Other factors need to be considered if a therapeutic decision in an elderly patient needs to be taken, including comorbidities, performance status, and factors impacting on posttherapeutic convalescence. A multidimensional geriatric assessment is strongly encouraged.