Does An Oncologist 's Age Influence His Or Her Treatment Recommendations? Essay

It is apparent that age discrimination is prevalent in today’s society within health care. This section will further explore ageism and provide ways to overcome it. According to Potter and Perry (2014) ageism is defined as “discrimination against people because of increasing age” (p. 376). Ageism has the ability to undermine self-confidence in older adults, limit their access to care, and even distort health care providers’ understanding of the uniqueness of each older adult. The Canadian Special Senate Committee on Aging has concluded that ageism in Canada is delicate and pervasive and immediate action is required (Potter & Perry, 2014). Ageism can result in over- treatment or under-treatment. For example, over-treatment can include “overuse

Cancer is a major issue in our country today due to it having no cure, and it’s one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. I’ve been personally affected by this tragic disease by losing my uncle to colorectal cancer at the age of twelve. This disease has caused significant losses of life; therefore, it is my goal to join a team that has as its objective to finding a cure for cancer. Specifically, I will become a physician in order to become a part of the solution to cancer.

When analyzing the community health assessment several risks and weakness are identified. There are a few risks and weakness with the current state of Oncology Services. With physicians practices already at capacity there is no room to handle the current and future demand for these services. With an aging population new cancer cases are expected to increase by 34 % in five years. Higher smoking rates also contribute to new cancer diagnosis. Another risk is the equipment to diagnose and treat cancer is not keeping up with patient volume. This could be due to antiquated equipment that takes longer to scan patients therefore delaying results and sometimes requiring additional scanning. Additionally, poorly coordination of services by

There are many different type of cancers, there are also many different types of treatments. One of the most known types of treatments would be chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can be used for a wide range of different types of cancers and diseases, and each of the different types of cancers or diseases require a different group, and sometimes order, of chemicals to properly treat the cancer or disease. These chemicals include: Alkylating agents, Antimetabolites, Anthracyclines, Topoisomerase inhibitors, mitotic inhibitors, corticosteroids, and more. Each of these drugs previously listed have its own cancer type(s) or disease(s) that it can assist in treating. Some of these cancers include: Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkin disease, multiple

According to statistics published by the American Cancer Society, there will be an estimated 1.5 million new cancer cases diagnosed each year over the next decade. What factors contribute to the yearly incidence

Doctors need to know the amount of cancer and where it is in the body to be able to choose the best possible treatment. For example, the treatment for early stage breast

Middleboro Community Hospital has come to use with the concern that the increasing age of its medical staff is affecting the number of patient days a physician has. It is assumed that physicians will exit professional practice when they turn 70, and the hospital would like us to identify those physicians who may need to be replace. The hospital is also contemplating the idea of establishing age restrictions on their

Demographers predict that by 2061, 25% of Canada’s population will be over the age of 65 (BOOK 46). This will lead to changes in the social infrastructure of Canada. The health care system will have to adjust to support all the needs of the older people. The main type of ageism that is seen is inter-generational ageism, which is ageism between younger and older populations. The younger population of Canada is ageist towards older adults because they think they’re old and going to die anyways, so they do not want to waste medical resources on them. In the article, Dr. Beauchamp said that many of his patients were turned down from hospitals due to their age. However, he does not accept them right away; he examines the individual and examines their MRI and ultrasound images to see if there is anything he can do to help. Also, older adults usually contract chronic conditions which take more time and resources to cure, whereas health care professionals are focused on treating acute illnesses. The reason for this happening, could be that older adults are not included in drug researches, which leads to physicians not knowing how to treat diseases in the geriatrics field and not being able to provide certain treatments that may improve their patient’s life. Many times, health care professionals classify their patients’ symptoms as part of the aging process and do not assess the individual to understand what is causing

In clinical practice today the population is increasing in the number of elderly patients, as is the occurrence of breast cancer in women 60 years of age and older. According to Tang et al. (2011) the occurrence of breast cancer in women 65 years old and older is greater than “400 cases per 100, 000 women” (p. 3). The appropriate treatment options for the elderly are not as standard as those for a younger generation related to the effects the aging process has on the body. Secondary conditions such as congestive heart failure (CHF), diabetes mellitus (DM), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and the effects of treatment on functionality are also considered when

Cancer has played an immeasurable role in why I want to pursue a career in nursing. It is by far the main factor, the second would be all the remarkable nurses that have touched the lives of both my family and myself.

With the population of adults 65 and over steadily climbing, medical professionals and the healthcare system are struggling to keep up. One major issue concerning the healthcare system is that it is not set up properly provide care for these older adults. The physicians today, who regularly see patients, focus mainly has been; diagnose—usually in a 15-20 minute office visit, treat, and cure. Many of these senior citizens have multiple chronic illnesses or diseases, which require time to manage and treat. The problem is that they may not be able to explain what the real problem to a doctor in that time.

As an individual who is passionate about becoming a surgical oncologist, I aspire to study medicine in an accelerated way, as time is of the essence when the life of a patient hangs in the balance. Due to the opportunity available to complete my studies two years sooner, I will be able to donate my newly refined medical expertise to the individuals who require it the most, and in turn, I possess the potential to ameliorate their life throughout the course of their battle with the illness. In my opinion, I believe that cancer itself is a malignant disease that has a widespread impact on our society, and with the promise of one day developing a cure, it would be a great honour to have a meaningful contribution to the science and surgical procedures that ultimately contribute to its eradication.

As a result, the amount of money that gets propelled back into the healthcare industry skyrockets as the list of medical issues following these treatments grows more and more extensive. A study done by Dr. John Diamond shows that females who undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatments “face a 35% chance of developing breast cancer by the time they are 40, which is 75 times greater than average” (Dr. John Diamond, MD). Chemotherapy and radiation have been proven to weaken, and sometimes completely destroy, the immune system. This makes the already physically unstable patient even more susceptible to illnesses and diseases that they wouldn 't otherwise have had to worry about. Consequently, the recurrence of cancer is a very likely, and in some cases, unavoidable. But it is unacceptable that the most common and easily accessible drug is the reason why 35% of patients will develop a second cancer (haematologica.org). Many other cancers can come as a result of chemotherapy too. One study found that, "Patients who underwent chemo were 14 times more likely to develop leukemia and 6 times more likely to develop cancers of the bones, joints, and soft tissues than those patients who did not undergo

Pre-Hospital. Many patients do not stay in the hospital when undergoing treatment for cancer. Outpatient chemotherapy is a treatment that is utilized by cancer patients who wish to avoid hospitalization and work around their own schedule. Although receiving outpatient treatment can be convenient for the patient, it still comes with unwanted side effects such as pain. Hochstenbach et al.

    Cancer is a disease in which cells multiply out of control and gradually build a mass of tissue called a tumor. There has been a large amount of research dedicated to the treatment and cure of cancer. Several types of treatments have been developed. The following are just some of the major examples of cancer therapy: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biologic therapy, biorhythms, unconventional treatments, and hyperthermia. Each type of treatment is discussed in detail below.