Interventions to prevent postoperative delirium in elderly cancer patients should be targeted at those undergoing nonsuperficial surgery with special attention to the cognitive impaired patients.

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine risk factors for postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly cancer patients.

Methods: This study was an observational multicentre retrospective study performed in the University Medical Center Groningen and Medical Center Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. Patients over 65 years of age undergoing elective surgery for a solid tumour were included.