The aims of this study are to investigate whether patient empowerment, including information and decision-aids adapted to the risk and the need of the elderly patient, can improve outcome in an evidence-based modular pathway in terms of

• shortened hospital stay by a reduced postoperative complication rate and
• quality of life in elderly patients compared to control patients receiving standard of care.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients aged 65 years and older with abdominal, thoracical or urogenital cancer scheduled for surgery
• Offered patient information and written informed consent
• Confirmed cancer diagnosis via histology
• Mini Mental state > 23
• Life-expectance > 2 months

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participation in another trial according to the German Drug Law 7 days to and 7 days after the operation during the study
• No informed consent
• Emergency patients
• Lacking willingness to save and hand out data within the study
• Accommodation in an institution due to an official or judicial order
• Concurrent malignancies
• Insufficient knowledge of the German language
• In case of the inclusion of a PERATECS - study patient in an adjuvant therapy study during the study period, the patient will be excluded from the PERATECS-study