Breast cancer in older women: treatment, psychosocial effects, interventions, and outcomes.

It is estimated that 48% of women with breast cancer are age 65 and older; yet, scant research focuses on this cohort. Recent advances in breast cancer management have raised many questions regarding appropriate treatment of older patients with cancer. Despite recent emphasis on medical interventions for older women, there is little focus on the unique clinical presentation and psychological sequelae of breast cancer in this population. While elderly women who survive breast cancer seem to cope better than their younger counterparts, their distress must not be overlooked. Interventions such as use of social support, spirituality, and exercise demonstrate therapeutic benefits for older women with cancer and should be explored. Nurses play a key role in educating and supporting older women with breast cancer and can help dispel many age-related myths and misconceptions.