Most cancer patients are older than 65 years. In total, 470,000 men and women fell ill of cancer in 2008. Medium age for the onset of illness in women and men is 69 years. Experts estimate that the number of people affected by cancer will rise by 30 % till 2030. This is due to the shift of the age structure. Currently, about 21 % of the German population is older than 65 years. In 2030, this part will increase to around 30 %. In contrast to the new cases, the number of cancer-related deaths is sinking continuously. The development of modern therapies that selectively combat a tumor, cause less adverse effects and can be aimed individually at the patient or the goal of the therapy and, in addition to positive changes in habits of life (e.g. reduction of tobacco consume) and extended screening tests (e.g. breast cancer screening, preventive colposcopy), they lead to a continuous decline in mortality.
Sources: Krebs in Deutschland 2007/2008, 8. Ausgabe, Robert Koch-Institut [Hrsg,], 2012, Bevölkerung nach Altersgruppen 2009, Statistisches Bundesamt Deutschland, 2012
More info here