Age ‘used as excuse to deny treatment for cancer’

ELDERLY cancer patients are dying because they are not receiving treatments they need on the NHS when assumptions are made that they are too old to cope, a report has warned.

Macmillan Cancer Support claims the under treatment of patients over the age of 75 is one of the factors which leads to around 14,000 avoidable cancer deaths each year

The charity warns that some are missing out on medicines and support that would give them the best chance of beating the disease.

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Figures show older people are less likely to receive surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy than younger cancer patients.

While this can often be medically justified, there is “growing evidence” many older patients who could benefit from treatment are simply not being offered it, according to Macmillan’s report, The Age Old Excuse: The under-treatment of older cancer patients.

The charity is urging elderly cancer patients to ensure they get the best treatment. It says death rates from cancer are improving significantly for those aged under 75 but improvements are much slower in those aged 75-84 and even getting worse for those aged over 85.

Macmillan Cancer Support is also calling for more effective ways of assessing older people for treatment.

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It says patients do not take up treatment because they have inadequate practical support to help them at home or with transport.

Audrey Bradford, general manager for the charity in northern England, said: “Efforts are being made to increase early diagnosis and promote healthier lifestyles but much more needs to be done to tackle under treatment.

“We have a duty to treat people as individuals and give them the best chance of beating cancer, regardless of their age.

“Many people in their 70s, 80s and beyond can tolerate treatments given to younger people and can be cured of cancer.”

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In a foreword to the report, Macmillan’s chief executive Ciaran Devane said: “Assumptions about someone’s ability to tolerate treatment, quality of life or personal preferences should never be based on their chronological age. Two people of the same age may have very different needs and will cope with cancer treatments differently.

“One 78-year-old may be bed-bound, while another may take part in half marathons. As such, they should be treated as individuals.

“In spite of this, chronological age is an all-too-common influencing factor in cancer treatment recommendations. The simple fact is that cancer mortality rates in our older population are not improving rapidly enough.”

She said that if UK mortality rates matched those in the USA around 40 cancer deaths per day in people aged over 75 might be avoided.

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The report said a survey of 98 cancer specialist trainees found 60 per cent had never received any training in the particular needs of older people with cancer.

Half of all new cases of cancer in the UK are diagnosed in people aged 70 or over.

Ms Devane added: “To deny older patients treatment that could cure them based on ill-founded assumptions is an unacceptable act of discrimination.

“As our population ages, and the number of people diagnosed with cancer grows, it is vital that steps are taken to ensure that the right people get the right treatment at the correct level of intensity, together with the practical support to enable them to take up and complete the treatment.”

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Care Services Minister Paul Burstow said: “Cancer patients, irrespective of their age, should expect the best care and that’s what our dedicated NHS staff are delivering.

“However, we are under no illusions that there are unjustifiable variation in standards, which is why we have funded five pilots jointly with Macmillan to help us understand how older people with cancer are cared for.

“Not only is the NHS under a moral obligation not to discriminate, but we sent a clear message that any age discrimination in the NHS is unacceptable when we did not ask for any exemptions on age in the Equality Act.”