Will older people get the cancer help they need?
The number of people aged over 75 who will be diagnosed with cancer is set to increase by 80% in the next 20 years, says Cancer Research UK.
Its report, Advancing care, advancing years: Improving cancer treatment and care for an ageing population, calls for the health service to act now to ensure it is prepared for a rising ageing population with complex needs.
Cancer survival rates have doubled over the past 40 years. But rates are still lower for older people, who often have multiple health conditions, says the report.
Staff must have enough time to care for patients, there must be better assessments to make the right decisions about treatment and better evidence on how medication affects older people, it says.
The charity says around 130,000 people aged over 75 develop cancer in the UK at present and predicts this will rise to around 234,000 by 2035.
Further information
Cancer Research UK: Number of elderly diagnosed with cancer set to rocket by 80% in less than 20 years