Ageism in Cancer Screenings?

A speaker from Fox Chase came to the Center last week, to share information on prostate cancer with our members. At one point, she mentioned the timeline for screenings:

If you have a family history, start screenings at 45. 

If you don’t have a family history, start at 50. 

Continue screening until you’re 70, when your doctor will talk to you about discontinuing screenings. 

Wait, the doctor will do what?

My uncle passed away from prostate cancer two weeks ago. He was 83. The cancer was discovered during a screening five years ago, when he was 78. The earlier notice allowed him to begin treatments that prolonged his life. He was able to travel and spend more time with his family. 

When I asked the speaker why the timeline stopped at 70, she said it was the fault of  insurance companies. They claim that older patients aren’t healthy enough to benefit from treatments after 70.

This is bullshit. In the early stages of cancer, my uncle was a strong 78 year old, and remained so for years. The treatments were very difficult at times, but they also gave him more time to enjoy the end of his life. 

I’m sure there are some cases where a patient’s health precludes them from treatment–cancer treatments can be brutal. For this reason, everyone should have the right to refuse treatment. But it should be their informed choice. They deserve the option. Otherwise, someone else is making the call as to the value of their lives. We saw some of this during the pandemic and it was disgusting.  Nothing short of blatant, narrow-minded ageism. 

Why would five years of my uncle’s life be less important than five years of anyone’s else’s? I might even argue that those last five years were more important than other periods because he knew he was sick and he made the most of his time. He wasn’t the only one who benefitted from treatment. His family and friends got more time as well. My dad visited with him almost every week, connecting in a way they hadn’t in years. 

If you ever find yourself at a point on the timeline where a doctor, insurer, politician, influencer, or anyone else implies that your health and wellbeing are less important because you are older, DON’T FALL FOR IT. Deny that bullshit. Every minute of your life is valuable and worth living on your terms. 

In loving memory of John Randolph Williams II (1943-2025)