Too old to be given cancer treatment: NHS is 'writing off' patients who are over 75

Young lung cancer sufferers are only 10 per cent more likely

to die within five years than their continental counterparts But pensioners with the disease have 44 per cent less chance of survival The figure for stomach cancer at 45 per cent is even worse By J NN! H"# #$B%&SH ': ((:)( *+T, )- Jan.ary )(/- 0 $#'1T ': (2:(- *+T, )- Jan.ary )(/-

+3 #ensioners with l.ng cancer have -- per cent less chance of s.rvival that yo.ng s.fferers #ensioners with cancer are being written off as too old to treat, campaigners said yesterday3 They cited fig.res showing s.rvival rates for British patients aged 75 and over are among the worst in .rope3

!o.ng l.ng cancer s.fferers are only /( per cent more li4ely to die within five years than their continental co.nterparts3 B.t pensioners with the disease have -- per cent less chance of s.rvival3 The fig.re for stomach cancer 5 at -5 per cent 5 is even worse3 1nd Britons with prostate cancer are a fifth less li4ely to s.rvive than .ropeans if they are 25 and over3 J.st -6 per cent live for five years, compared with .p to 77 per cent over the 8hannel3 #atients in their 7(s and 2(s with 4idney cancer have a 6) per cent s.rvival rate, compared with -7956 per cent in .rope3 8iar:n 'evane, of +acmillan 8ancer S.pport, which helped prod.ce the fig.res, said: ;&t<s wrong to write off older people as too old for treatment3 =ith a proper assessment and appropriate treatment, o.r research shows that many older cancer patients can live for a long time and can even be c.red3 ;=hile it<s good news that so many older people are benefiting from treatment, many tho.sands more co.ld live longer if o.r s.rvival rates for over 75s matched those in comparable co.ntries3 +ore333 '& have everything to fight for': +other9to9be is diagnosed with terminal cancer >.st = after discovering she is pregnant
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co.nterparts The barriers to getting treatment 5 which incl.de age discrimination and inade@.ate assessment methods 5 m.st be tac4led now so more older people can s.rvive cancer and live for many years3< The research from +acmillan and the National 8ancer &ntelligence Networ4 shows that more than /6(,((( Britons have s.rvived for at least ten years after being diagnosed with cancer at 75 or over3 The st.dy, which is the first of its 4ind, also reveals there are more than 2,((( people alive today who have lived for the same time period following diagnosis at 2( or over3

+3 The research from +acmillan and the National 8ancer &ntelligence Networ4 shows that more than /6(,((( Britons have s.rvived for at least ten years after being diagnosed with cancer at 75 or over "ctogenarian women do partic.larly well, with twice as many s.rviving for ten or )( years as men3 S.rvival rates for the over975s are worse in Britain than .rope for nine o.t of ten common cancers3 1 small s.rvival advantage is seen for s.fferers of melanoma s4in cancer3 8aroline 1brahams, of the charity 1ge $?, said: ;&t<s good news that with the right care and treatment older people can s.rvive for many years after cancer3 '&t is often forgotten that people over 75 represent a third of all cancer diagnoses and a half of all cancer deaths3

+3 S.rvival rates for the over975s are worse in Britain than .rope for nine o.t of ten common cancers ;#eople over 2( with the disease are the only age gro.p in which mortality rates have got worse in the last -( years3 '1n individ.al<s date of birth sho.ld not be .sed as a proAy for health and fitness or infl.ence treatment decisions3 ;1ssessments of older people m.st be based on their needs and not simply on their age3 1nything else is blatant age discrimination3< +ar4 #orter, chairman of co.ncil at the British +edical 1ssociation, said: ;&t is important that all healthcare professionals ens.re that patients are treated on the basis of clinical need3 ;=ith an increasingly ageing pop.lation, it sho.ld be a 4ey part of medical professionalism to g.arantee that older patients are treated with the care and respect they deserve3< 1ro.nd 7(,((( cases of cancer are diagnosed each year in Britons aged 75 and over3 "ne in fo.r are prostate s.fferers3 *erald Shenton, 72, from Staffordshire, said: ;& was first diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma in )(((, and & am still here /6 years later, altho.gh &<ve s.ffered from every side effect in the boo43

;& never really had any aftercare beca.se & have always been treated as end stage3 & was t.rned down for a possible treatment twice, being told .nofficially that it was beca.se of my age3< +ic4 #ea4e, of the National 8ancer &ntelligence Networ4, said: ;&t is vital all patients receive the best and most effective treatment based on the nat.re of their cancer and their fitness for treatment and that chronological age alone is not the deciding factor3< Bead more: http:CCwww3dailymail3co3.4CnewsCarticle9)5--D72CToo9old9cancer9treatment9NHS9 writing9patients9753htmlEiAFF)r#ShSaTd Gollow .s: H+ail"nline on Twitter 0 'aily+ail on Gaceboo4