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Prepare for the Changes Happening Regarding the Treatment of Elderly People Diagnosed with Cancer

AONN+ Blog published on March 8, 2012
Lillie D. Shockney, RN, BS, MAS, HON-ONN-CG
Editor-in-Chief, JONS; Co-Founder, AONN+; University Distinguished Service Professor of Breast Cancer, Professor of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Co-Developer, Work Stride-Managing Cancer at Work, Johns Hopkins Healthcare Solutions

There is a powerful movement afoot, and in the long run it will be for the better. However, while it gets implemented, it is going to feel incredibly strange. The movement is rethinking who needs screening and subsequent treatment for specific types of cancers.

Two important types of cancer that are very high volume are prostate cancer and breast cancer. The trend that we will see is elderly men who will no longer undergo prostate-specific antigen testing. Additionally, if they were to be diagnosed with prostate cancer, they will likely receive no treatment. The same will probably apply to elderly women with breast cancer. How is this possible? Does it sound as though they are just going to be left to suffer with these diseases?
 

 
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