Death Panels in Action–
In Great Britain thousands of breast cancer patients are being denied life-saving surgery due to their age.
Younger patients are more likely to get the surgery.
The Daily Mail reported:
Elderly women are being denied life-saving breast cancer surgery that is routinely given to younger patients, alarming research reveals.
Some doctors look at a patient’s age in their notes – and decide on a treatment plan before they have even met them, experts warn.
Their study, which provides evidence of ageism in the Health Service, found that 90 per cent of breast cancer patients aged 30-50 are offered surgery to remove tumours, compared with 70 per cent of those in their seventies.
Even women in their 50s are less likely than younger patients to have an operation.
Cancer specialist Dr Mick Peake said: ‘I’ve seen evidence of ageism when doctors are approaching the issue. Some take age as disproportionate evidence, often when they’ve never even met the patient.
‘I’d like patients and relatives to bang their fists on the table and say, “Why aren’t we getting this treatment?”,’ added Dr Peake, of the National Cancer Intelligence Network, which carried out the research.
An operation to remove part or all of the breast is the most effective treatment for breast cancer.
Patients are only offered chemotherapy or radiotherapy if the cancer has spread to such an extent that surgery is impossible.
According to the research, just 87 per cent of women in their fifties – who are normally otherwise fit and healthy – have surgery, falling to 82 per cent of those aged 60 to 70.
Youth: Younger breast cancer patients are more likely to get life-saving surgeryOnly half of over-80s, and 33 per cent of those over 85, are offered surgery.