Therapeutic approaches to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the elderly patient.

The incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is increasing among all age groups, with a median age at diagnosis of 67 years. With the increase in the geriatric population, there is a need for the development and validation of treatment strategies for NHL for these patients. Therapy in elderly patients is affected by multiple factors, especially comorbidities. Over the past decade, some treatment trials have included older patients. The disease incidence, characteristics and treatment approaches for both follicular and diffuse aggressive NHL histologies in elderly patients are reviewed, as well as the impact of aging on the care of these patients.