All Topics → Forum: Older than 60 Years with Breast Cancer → Topic: Older Age Worsens Breast Cancer Prognosis
Posted on: Feb 28, 2012 06:51 PM, edited Feb 28, 2012 06:52 PM by Medigal
Medigal wrote:
I just read an article put on our Board concerning the above subject. This really irritates me. As if we needed more to be concerned about! "OLD AGE" worsens ANY prognosis due to the AGE of the people! If you read the small difference in those who have reoccurances who are elderly from younger ladies, you will see it is very small and not worth concerning us over. They even take into account that it could be because we elderly don't get the full course of treatments as younger people. Why not?? They don't want to waste good drugs on people they think are going to just drop dead of something else anyway? This article reminds me of what I was told when I got diagnosed in my 60's. I asked what my chances of survival were and was told that I was SOOO lucky I got diagnosed in my 60's since cancer is less aggressive for the elderly and I would probably die of something else before it would return!! OH JOY! Now I am determined to make idiots of ALL who write these articles and live to be 200!! I just finished over 8 1/2 years on Arimidex, did all the Chemo, rads and lumpectomy before that and if there was anything else they forgot to do then I will just come back as the meanest damn ghost and HAUNT them all! I know they refused to give me Herceptin but that wasn't given to even the young unless you were already Stage IV so I can't haunt them for that. But if they forget anything else, their butts are mine! The great thing about being OLD is I can tick the heck out of any one I want and just blame it on "old age"! Got to find something good about having painful bones! I sure don't need to read these negative articles. Any idiot can tell you that whatever we get when we are old is going to be more difficult for us because our body has aged and can't cope with a lot of drugs. Boy would I love to have a meeting with the writer or writers of that article!
Mods: Anything else you want to post which can make the elderly on here feel even worse? I sure have a long list of people to haunt these days! Have a great evening to my elderly ladies. To the young: Booooooooo!
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Apr 17, 2012 10:20 PM, edited May 12, 2012 09:50 PM by Infobabe
I'm with you. I just got diognosed Stage 0 grade 1 and am being treated very aggressively. Fortunately for me, I am not being disregarded because of my age which is 76. I love these studies that say that people use the most medical care in the last year of their lives, like, what a waste.
I wonder who writes garbage like that? Probably someone age 25.
Jun 27, 2012 01:19 AM Butterfli312 wrote:
God bless you for writing this post! That article is BS. My mother was diagnosed last Friday with IDC Stage 1 grade 1. She is 73. I agree 100% with everything you said. Blessings to you and your family!
Jun 27, 2012 01:54 AM dlb823 wrote:
"Only 5% of the women 75 and older got adjuvant chemotherapy, whereas 48% of them had nodal involvement."
"While the reason for the findings wasn't clear from the trial, 'undertreatment, in particular undertreatment of either chemotherapy or radiotherapy, may explain age-specific outcome in this relatively healthy population,' the group suggested."
Wow! Although the worse prognosis stats aren't that bad, it's still shocking to think that some doctors undertreat otherwise healthy women in their 60's strictly based on their age! Deanna
Jun 27, 2012 02:02 AM GramE wrote:
Do I call myself lucky that I was only 62 when diagnosed, 4 years ago ??? This sounds like it comes from the same idiots at Medicare that are denying paying for Vitamin D3 blood work and PAP smear.
Jun 27, 2012 12:10 PM dlb823 wrote:
Another point is that this study came out of The Netherlands, so I'm wondering if the data they reviewed was all or mostly from Europe or the UK, where tx protocols and attitudes about age may be different than the US. I've rarely heard of women here not offered chemo unless they are truly advanced in age (like in their late 80s), or have reallly complicating pre-existing health issues. Deanna
Jun 27, 2012 12:22 PM Cindyl wrote:
Well to be fair, I wonder how often treatment is offered, and refused. I was talking to several "older" ladies at a barbecue the other day, all of them 70+, one a 5 year bc survivor (87 yo) and all agreed that they might agree to surgery, and maybe radiation, but no chemo. Of course some people change their minds when it comes to a point, but I suspect patients sometimes make choices the aren't the best for long term outcomes. I love these gals. Well of course you needed to do more than I would. You're just a baby (51)
Jun 27, 2012 12:38 PM JO-5 wrote:
i was dx. at age 63 (see my profile at the bottom) and was also told that if I "had" to get breast cancer I should be glad that it was then instead of much earlier because older women had a much better outlook. I did lumpectomy/rads/ and Arimidex for 5 years and I'm 8 years out. So far so good. I was healthy otherwise with no other problems .... except Arthiritis and etc that just comes with being older.
I do believe that many older women refuse one treatment or the other. I have a friend that refused radiation. The rest of her story is not good...but it was her choice, not her dr.
I really don't pay a lot of attention to articles like this one. We are all different and our dx are all somewhat different.
JO-5
Jun 29, 2012 05:18 PM Kicks wrote:
I was 63 when DX'd IBC (Aug '09). I had always figured I'd live into my mid/late 90's and be as active as one G-Mom had and 3 GG Moms did. I still have that goal.
I was treated from the 'git-go' aggressively. Age was never mentioned. Iam/was very active and in better health than many, even younger ones. I had arthritis in upper back (been there for YEARS but no bother) and osteopenia (huge family hiistory).
We all make our own choices but I can't see me ever not doing everything offered to fight with. Do I want to got through TX again (didn't want to originally but that's what it took to live so I did. I'd do it again in a heartbeat if I need to to live. I'm a fighter and refuse to give up no matter what. Of course, the time will come when it is time to return home to my Heavenly Family and I will knowing I have lived the life I was here for.
Jun 29, 2012 08:18 PM, edited Jun 29, 2012 08:18 PM by JO-5
BRAVO KICKS!
I, too, would do my treatments (or whatever was necessary) again without hesitation. I am now 71 and still have a lot of living to do..Good Lord willing.
JO-5
Jul 15, 2012 11:32 AM Scottiee1 wrote:
Hi everybody: I was 64 yrs when diagnosed and was a actually told by my MO that I was "young medically" , meaning that any and all forms of treatment would be discussed because "age" wasn't an issue. It's the first time in a LONG time to be told I am young ,
I am in Canada so don't know if there is a difference in attitude.
Jul 15, 2012 11:49 AM kira1234 wrote:
My mom was 80 when diagnosed stage 3c I would guess. She received very aggressive treatment including chemo.
Jul 15, 2012 12:00 PM, edited Aug 10, 2012 10:17 AM by SunflowersMA
Jul 15, 2012 01:00 PM nancyjac wrote:
What annoys is that all this money goes to meaningless studies that working oncologists tell their patients to ignore because they only produce mathmatical averages and statistics that aren't at all applicable to individual patients and BC survivors. I don't think this any more true than studies based on age than it is on any other factor like geographical, race, genetics, etc.
Jul 15, 2012 01:27 PM dogsandjogs wrote:
I was told before my lumpectomy that if the sentinel node was "positive" would I agree to NOT have any further nodes taken out due to my age?
What?
What did he mean? That it wouldn't do any good because I wouldn't live that long anyway. (I am 76) or did he mean it would be pointless because the cancer was unlikely to go anywhere at a very fast rate? Supposedly cancer takes longer to grow or metastisize when you are older. Supposedly---
Jul 15, 2012 01:27 PM, edited Jul 15, 2012 01:28 PM by dogsandjogs
Jul 15, 2012 01:37 PM kira1234 wrote:
dogsandjogs, There is a debate going on in the medical world if we should have more nodes removed or not. I think it is thought that we will be recieving chemo even if only 1 is involved. To make things even more up in the air if you ask me is that the Ocotype test is testing node+ people.
Jul 15, 2012 01:39 PM GraciousGal wrote:
I agree with you to some extent. However, decisions for treatment include the impact of side effects on our quality of life. I think (to give the medical community some credit) that is a significant reason to decrease the treatment severity based on age. Do you want to live longer with chemo side effects. . . or do you want to live better for fewer years. Bottom line: It should be a joint decision between patient and doctor - not just the doctor making that decision.
Sep 4, 2012 10:51 AM bonnets wrote:
Hi, just found these boards. I was diagnosed last week, IBC, ER/PR+, Her2 -. I am 69, luckily my DR, told me I am a 'young" 69:). I'm having a MRI today and waiting for BRCA testing to come back, to decide if we go DMX or LMX. Don't feel I'd go for reconstruction.
My history includes having a daughter who was diagnosed at 27, passed at 33, ten years ago in Dec. I learned a lot with Amy, but it is still scary, esp. having lost her. I was quite active on the Webmd BC boards , when Amy had BC. Still have contact with many of those women, these boards also sound like a great place to be!
Sep 4, 2012 10:58 AM pip57 wrote:
Bonnets, I too lost a daughter to cancer. She was 16. Watching her fight inspired me to give it all I could. She definitely taught me so much and was my inspiration during my darkest days.
I hope Amy inspires you in your fight too.
Sep 4, 2012 11:45 AM bonnets wrote:
That too is a club neither of us want to belong to. Yes Amy was a fighter , for 6 years. What angers me is the survival stats are based on 5 year survival, women like my daughter aren't counted. Greay to see you are doing well.
Sep 4, 2012 11:59 AM dogsandjogs wrote:
My mother-in-law's cancer returned (in her bones) after 25 years. I got a new primary in my other breast 28 years after my original tumor. There is no rhyme or reason to cancer.
I am so sorry to hear about your ladies' daughters----
Sep 4, 2012 12:10 PM bonnets wrote:
I have always said it is there looking over your shoulder, though a lot of women don't think so. It is the reality.
Sep 4, 2012 03:51 PM bonnets wrote:
Now Im having to fight my ins. company to cover the BRACA, even with my daughters hustory and my diagnosis! Grrrrr!
Sep 4, 2012 05:40 PM dogsandjogs wrote:
My surgeon was very honest with me. He said there is no cure for cancer. You may not die FROM it, but you will die WITH it.
So sorry you are having trouble with your insurance co. Makes no sense!
Sep 4, 2012 06:38 PM pip57 wrote:
My mom also had bc. So with the history of mom and my daughter they (Cnd gov't) did a genetic test on me. Surprisingly, it was negative.
I hope you can get the test done...just for the knowledge that may help future relatives.
Sep 21, 2012 12:13 PM bonnets wrote:
My BRACA came back negative. Hope my daughter will get tested , as she has 3 girls. I was able to get insurance coverage!
Dec 12, 2012 09:09 PM Di2012 wrote:
Anyone on Medicare? I am having a bi-lateral mastectomy with cancer in only one breast Dec 17, so the other breast is being taken as a preventative or "matching" the lack of the other breast, with reconstruction of both in about a month....I have tried to get an answer from Medicare, my surgeon's nurse tried also, but no one knows, I also have suplemental insurance, but I don't want to get stuck paying for one mastectomy....although my doctor reassures me it has never happened YET in her 25 year old practice.....and says I still will be staying one night in the hospital, using one hospital room, using one operating room, one assistant, one anesthesiologist.....ANYONE???
My primary care doctor is also very supportive of the decision as well as the surgeon for a bilateral mastectomy.
(When I was young and nursing my babies, my breast acted as a united system....with me having no choice to turn off the milk flow in ONE breast only)
Dec 12, 2012 11:53 PM Soteria205 wrote:
Di2012~I'm on Medicare. I'm 62, and have been disabled for 19 years. My husband lost his job a while back, so no major medical. That happened 3 days after my diagnosis. Before that Medicare was my secondary.
I can't answer the question as far as prophylactic mastectomy, but I started chemo on Friday, the whole time being told I was getting the Neulasta shot the day after each Adria/cytoxan, to keep my white blood cell count up, but when I went for treatment, they told me, I won't be getting it unless it really proves necessary. I think it's because of Medicare, but who knows.
Blessings
Paula
Jan 16, 2013 03:38 PM LRM216 wrote:
Sure glad I had surgeons and oncologists that felt I still had a whole lotta loving and living to do when I was diagnosed 4 years ago at age 62. My onc suggested and prompted me to go as aggressively as possible with my treatment, knowing full well I was a widow, raising my teenage grand-daughter and working full time. So glad that I did it and had the encouragement I had from my docs. They never once made me feel "old" - not then, and not now
Jan 29, 2013 03:42 PM chasingdreams wrote:
glad I found this thread!!
My mom, age 76, has recently been dx with ILC...
She would be most comfortable with a BMX,
unfortunately per Surgeon she met with today, Medicare apparently will not cover removal of the 2nd breast!! :(
and!!
it was hinted at in a previous conversation with a local breast advocate that the local oncologist she was going to be seeing (she would be seeing this Onc post-op as she will be coming to LA,CA for Surgical tx and perhaps anything after as well), ok, so it was said- that the Onc is particularly good with "older patients" and doesn't just recommend chemo to them, he takes their "age" into consideration!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*I loved everything I heard from this advocate- but this! She herself is awesome. I've heard the Onc is amazing and know many Ca pts (not breast) who speak highly of him.... First time I heard this.
Her local Surg today said she is in very good health! No heath problems (she is approx 40#overwt but not hugely obese), that she is a young 76! However, he did also mention that her age would come into consideration when chemo etc is discussed- if it is even needed. but that she would have the disc with her oncologist....
He THEN also said, he had done a BMX on an 87yo gal, who also had the Plastic Surgeon step in for immed breast reconstruction with implants etc!!! That woman is 98 now!
*remember all, age is but a number!