2021 Volume 33 Issue 02 Pages 122-127
We investigated the 12-year trends in the treatment of elderly patients with laryngeal squamous cell cancer ≥ 75 years old in our department. We also describe the future prospects. In Japan, the number of elderly people ≥ 75 years old has increased since the beginning of the Heisei era, and accordingly, patients with laryngeal squamous cell cancer have been aging as well. In the 12-year transition period in our department, the proportion of elderly patients among all laryngeal squamous cell cancer cases increased from 25% in 2007-2010 to 40% in 2015-2018. We noted no marked difference in the overall survival between non-elderly and elderly patients. Regarding laryngeal preservation treatment, there were only a few cases in which anticancer drugs were used in the treatment plan of elderly patients. In recent years, geriatric oncology has been attracting attention, and there is a movement to generate evidence supporting the optimal treatment of elderly patients in the future. In Japan, the healthy life expectancy is increasing more rapidly than in the rest of the world, suggesting the need to actively pursue research into effective cancer treatments for the elderly.
