Over the next 30 years, dermatologists face a rising population of elderly patients, causing a marked increase in the incidence of cutaneous malignancies. For this reason, it is important to review the approach to the management of skin cancer in the elderly. In the current medical environment, there has been debate as to how cutaneous malignancy should be treated in elderly patients, especially those with multiple comorbid conditions. Clinicians should use a comprehensive approach that accounts for functional status, impact on quality of life, cost, and potential adverse outcomes when managing high- and low-morbidity skin cancers in the elderly.
Keywords: Basal cell carcinoma; Elderly; Functional assessment; Karnofsky; Quality of life; Skin cancer; Squamous cell carcinoma.
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