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ABSTRACT
The median life expectancy of population among industrialized countries has dramatically expanded in recent years. On the other hand, the risk of developing cancer increases with age. The treatment for gynaecological malignancies is well defined with respect to the surgery, radiation treatment and chemotherapy. However, elderly patients receives substandard treatment when compared to the younger people, generally due to the presence of associated medical conditions. The assessment of the co-morbidity is an important aspect of the surgical decision-making process. Maximal cytoreductive surgery is one of the most powerful determinants of survival in patients with FIGO stage III and IV ovarian cancer. Unfortunately, older patients underwent fewer operations as compared with those of their younger counterparts However, in recent years, new developments in the fields of anesthesiology, perioperative care, and surgical techniques have modified the picture and several studies confirm the feasibility of optimal cytoreduction with a complication rate similar to younger patients. Elderly patients may tolerate well surgical procedures within acceptable postoperative morbidity, a length of hospital stay and a need for intensive care quite similar to that of younger patients.
