Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The number of older adults with cancer in the United States is continuously growing, while disparities in cancer care remain significant. The aim of this current work is to describe epidemiological characteristics and trends in older adults with cancer. We report cancer incidence and mortality trends from 1975 and 1969, respectively, to 2019 in adults aged 65 and older abstracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database in the US. Rates were used to calculate the average annual percent change (AAPC) using joinpoint regression modeling. Cancer incidence in older adults increased by an AAPC of 0.250 (P < 0.001). The greatest increases in cancer incidence were seen in melanoma of the skin (female AAPC 3.397, male AAPC 4.887); the greatest decreases in cancer incidence were in rectal (female AAPC -2.669, male AAPC -2.272) and colon cancer (female AAPC -1.734, male AAPC -1.898). Cancer mortality in older adults decreased with an AAPC of -0.317 (P < 0.001). The greatest decreases in cancer mortality were in stomach (female AAPC -2.930, male AAPC -3.013) and colon cancer (female AAPC -1.857, male AAPC -1.611); the greatest increases in mortality among females was lung cancer (AAPC 2.663), and among males was liver cancer (AAPC 1.129). Epidemiological patterns in older adults have evolved over time that differ by gender and cancer subtype.
Source: npj Aging
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,690
Funders: U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Simons Foundation, University of Pennsylvania, Stanley Medical Research Institute, University of Florida, Pennsylvania State University, Genome Canada, Wellcome Trust, Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division, Beef Farmers of Ontario, UK Research and Innovation, Innovative Research Group Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Japan Science and Technology Corporation, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, National Natural Science Foundation of China, ZonMw, Stichting MS Research, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Lunds Universitet, Ligue Contre le Cancer, Narodowe Centrum Nauki, Vetenskapsrådet, KWF Kankerbestrijding, Beef Cattle Research Council, Norges Forskningsråd, Novo Nordisk Fonden, Genome Alberta, Genome Prairie, Department of Agriculture of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Key Research and Development Program of Hunan Province of China, National Institutes of Health, Penn State College of Medicine, National Outstanding Youth Science Fund Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China, Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, University of Bern, HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Basic Research Program of Jiangsu Province, Livsvitenskap, Universitetet i Oslo, Natural Science Research of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions of China, Postdoctoral Research Foundation of China, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, National Key Research and Development Program of China, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Chengdu Science and Technology Program, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, H2020 European Research Council
OpenAlex ID: W7133751444