MYTHS AND BIASES RELATED TO CANCER IN THE ELDERLY

Advances in medical science have led to effective treatments for cance r; however, there are myriad myths and biases related to older people and cancer that pervade both patients' and professionals' ideas on cau sation, course of illness, treatment, and recovery, and act as hindran ces to early detection, treatment, and rehabilitation. The geriatric p opulation is comprised of a heterogeneous group of persons who are not categorized easily according to chronologic age. Health care professi onals are particularly susceptible to ageist stereotyping and negative attitudes toward the elderly because they lack training in caring for older people. In the future, the elderly will be better educated, exp ect greater participation in decision-making, and be less likely to po stpone entry into the medical care system. There is a need to educate both health care professionals and the elderly population about the my ths and realities of cancer detection and treatment.