Surviving Cancer
Frequently Asked Questions
4. Why does my age at diagnosis affect my survival?
Cancer Treatment and Older Adults
Video length: 55 sec
Click to watch this video
Video length: 55 sec
Click to watch this video
Older adults are more likely to have chronic health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Managing these conditions can complicate treatment and affect the time it takes to recover. Also, older people's bodies metabolize, or break down, drugs at a slower rate than younger people, and this can have an effect on the way medicines are tolerated. For instance, some older adults may not be able to tolerate high doses of chemotherapy (cancer-fighting drugs) and radiation that are used to treat cancer.
