Epidemiological Profile of Patients of Aged 65 Years and Over in a University Private Hospital

OBJECTIVES: An increase in life expectancy is predicted for the general population and, by 2050, about one billion people will be older than 65 years. The Global Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence database estimates that 1.2 million people of this age will have cancer; this number represents 58% of new cases in the American population. This represents a challenge for diagnosis and treatment, given that some older people have multiple comorbidities and disabilities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective descriptive study of 204 patients aged 65 years and over. All had a solid tumor that was diagnosed in a private hospital from January 2015 to December 2017. RESULTS: The median age was 72.2 years; the most frequent age group (48.5% of patients) was 65–75 years, and only a small percentage (4.4%) were aged > 85 years. The most common type of cancer was lung cancer (22.5%), followed by colorectal and urinary cancer. Most patients received cancer treatment after the disease diagnosis. CONCLUSION: There are no epidemiological studies of the older oncology population in Mexico. We believe it is necessary to perform larger studies to understand this population and to undertake actions to facilitate greater attention to patient diagnosis, treatment, and alleviation.