With the prolongation of life expectancy in Japan, cancer is increasing in the elderly. Several retrospective studies have shown that the frequency of toxicity, response to chemotherapy and overall survival are similar in elderly and younger patients with cancer with good performance status. However, because many investigators have arbitrarily excluded elderly patients from clinical trials and there have been a few clinical trials for elderly patients with cancer, no standard treatment in the elderly has been established for most cancer. New therapeutic strategies are clearly needed to prolong survival, and to improve quality of life in elderly patients with cancer.