Biomarkers of Aging and Radiation Therapy Tailored to the Elderly: Future of the Field

An increasing proportion of cancer care will be delivered to elderly patients. There is a wide range of health status among the elderly, and “chronological age” may differ substantially from “biological age.” Biomarkers of aging may be used to better determine a patient's biological age and would have potential clinical implications for the treatment of elderly patients with cancer. In this article, the authors review the current status of biomarkers related to aging and how these biomarkers may relate to treatment decisions for elderly patients with cancer. They also discuss potential implementation strategies for such biomarkers into future clinical trials.