Cancer is a disease of age – half of all new cases of cancer in the UK are in people aged 70 or over. This report by Macmillan Cancer Support highlights the low survival rates of older cancer patients in the UK and examines the growing body of evidence to suggest that older people with cancer are under treated.

Macmillan Cancer Support is concerned about a number of issues that may contribute to under treatment:
• Recommendations on treatment are too often being made on the basis of age, regardless of how fit patients may be.
• Assessments do not adequately measure an older person’s ability to cope with treatment, and co-existing health problems are often not identified or effectively managed.
• Many patients do not take up treatment because they have inadequate practical support to
help them at home, with transport, or with care for dependent spouses and other family.
• Older people are not represented on enough clinical trials, reducing the amount of evidence available to clinicians on benefits and risks of cancer treatment and impact on quality of life.
 

Read the report here