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Older cancer patients 'should not be written off' | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Older cancer patients should not be "written off" as too old for treatment, a charity has warned. | |
Macmillan Cancer Support said decisions on care should be made based on a patient's fitness, not their age. | |
It cited data which suggests 130,000 people over 65 diagnosed with cancer between 1991-2010 survived for more than 10 years. | |
NHS England acknowledged that it needed to deliver better services to people in the over-65 age group. | NHS England acknowledged that it needed to deliver better services to people in the over-65 age group. |
Macmillan Cancer Support conducted the research alongside the National Cancer Intelligence Network, found of the 130,000 who had lived with the disease for more than a decade, 8,000 had been diagnosed over the age of 80. | Macmillan Cancer Support conducted the research alongside the National Cancer Intelligence Network, found of the 130,000 who had lived with the disease for more than a decade, 8,000 had been diagnosed over the age of 80. |
Despite that, many patients in the UK are being assessed on age alone, Macmillan said, adding that cancer survival rates in the age group are "poor". | |
'Care and respect' | 'Care and respect' |
A paper published in the Lancet, looking at five-year survival rates for common cancers - including prostate, breast, lung, stomach, ovary and kidney cancers - between 1999 and 2007 showed the UK and Ireland had a lower five-year survival rate than the rest of Europe. | |
"It's wrong to write off older people as too old for treatment," said Macmillan Cancer Support's chief executive Ciaran Devane. | "It's wrong to write off older people as too old for treatment," said Macmillan Cancer Support's chief executive Ciaran Devane. |
"With a proper assessment and appropriate treatment, our research shows that many older cancer patients can live for a long time and can even be cured. | "With a proper assessment and appropriate treatment, our research shows that many older cancer patients can live for a long time and can even be cured. |
"While it's good news that so many older people are benefiting from treatment, many thousands more could live longer if our survival rates for over-65s matched those in comparable countries." | "While it's good news that so many older people are benefiting from treatment, many thousands more could live longer if our survival rates for over-65s matched those in comparable countries." |
He said barriers to treatment, which include "age discrimination and inadequate assessment methods", must be addressed. | He said barriers to treatment, which include "age discrimination and inadequate assessment methods", must be addressed. |
NHS England's national clinical director for cancer, Sean Duffy, said that with an ageing population, the study had come at an important moment in time. | NHS England's national clinical director for cancer, Sean Duffy, said that with an ageing population, the study had come at an important moment in time. |
But he added: "We need to deliver better services for people over 65 and 75 because we know there's an issue and interventions need to be designed to that end." | But he added: "We need to deliver better services for people over 65 and 75 because we know there's an issue and interventions need to be designed to that end." |
He said treatment for cancer can be complex "and should be based on what is right for each individual patient." | He said treatment for cancer can be complex "and should be based on what is right for each individual patient." |
Dr Mark Porter of the British Medical Association said it should be a "key part" of the medical profession to ensure older patients are "treated with the care and respect they deserve". | Dr Mark Porter of the British Medical Association said it should be a "key part" of the medical profession to ensure older patients are "treated with the care and respect they deserve". |
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