Cancer diagnosis: too little, too late?

Elderly patients are more likely to receive a late cancer diagnosis than younger people, a British study has revealed.

The study, conducted by the University of Cambridge, showed patients aged in their 70s and 80s were more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage terminal cancer.

While the study failed to explain why some elderly patients received a late cancer diagnosis, Australian Medical Association president, Dr Steve Hamilton, told DPS eNews cancer symptoms might be dismissed by some patients due to their age.

“Signs and symptoms of cancer, unexplained weight loss or even arthritis are generally not obvious in the elderly,” Dr Hamilton said.

“Quite often a diagnosis is delayed because of the natural ageing process which could bring about symptoms similar to cancer,” he said.

Dr Hamilton said a younger person may notice immediately if they are experiencing early cancer “warning signs”, and therefore may be examined by a doctor earlier than older people.

The British research indicated women with breast cancer over the age of 75 were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with advanced tumours as women in their 60s.

Bowel cancer sufferers older than 80 years were one and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with advanced tumours than those aged 60 to 69.

Researchers looked at the records of about 33,000 patients diagnosed with breast and bowel cancer from 2006 to 2009.

UK experts in the field suggested lives were being lost “needlessly” because the illnesses were not being diagnosed earlier.

While authors of the study called for greater awareness by GPs in identifying cancer symptoms, Cancer Council Australia’s chief executive officer and medical oncologist, Professor Ian Olver, said older patients needed to be alert of any changes in their health.

“The real problem is many symptoms of cancer can be symptoms of all sorts of other things. For instance, elderly people may experience constipation and not consider that it could be bowel cancer until later on because they ignore the symptoms,” Professor Olver told DPSe News.

According to Professor Olver, priorities often shift as a person grows older.

“It’s very hard because for some people, as they get older, their priorities change. They may choose to ignore symptoms of a health problem, especially those that have lived a long life,” he said.

Professor Olver said treatment can vary when an older person has ‘co-morbid’ illnesses, which are co-existing diseases that may cause the death of a person before cancer has a chance to strike and kill.

Professor Olver said co-morbid illnesses that often arise in old age, such as damaged kidneys, would not react as effectively to cancer drug therapy.

Regardless, he urged the elderly to treat changes in their health seriously and to see their local GP if symptoms persist.

“An older person with cancer can be given the same treatment as a younger person suffering from the same disease,” he said.

“I have treated an 89-year-old cancer patient who is now in remission. There is a pretty good chance of success.”

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