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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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| Cancer in old age - is it inadequately investigated and treated? | | Author(s) | N J Turner, R A Haward, G P Mulley, |
| Journal title | British Medical Journal, vol 319, no 7205, 31 July 1999 |
| Pages | pp 309-312 |
| Keywords | Cancer ; Diagnosis ; Therapeutics ; Research Reviews. |
| Annotation | Studies of cancer care in older patients show fewer diagnostic and staging procedures and less treatment with advancing age. The authors performed a Medline search from 1980 to 1998, using the terms "cancer", "elderly", and "old age". They also scrutinised bibliographies the articles obtained from the search for additional references. They found that reduced levels of intervention are not wholly explained by appropriate adjustment for comorbidity or frailty. Some older people can tolerate chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy just as well as younger patients, and regimens and protocols can be modified in less fit patients. Ageism in healthcare staff, lack of awareness of life expectancy and treatments available, and beliefs and fears about cancer and its treatment in older patients and their relatives may be factors in this disparity. Other points to bear in mind are different screening policies in different countries, and whether one's age group has any bearing on acceptance of investigations or interventions. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-990804202 A |
| Classmark | CK: LK7: LL: 3A:6KC * |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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