My dad had a lesion found on his brain. The people at the hospital immediately asked where else he had cancer. As far as I knew, nowhere. He was also age 90. The first question is does your dad have any co-morbidities? In other words, does he have diabetes, parkinson's, congestive heart failure, dementia? Then, I would get a second opinion. Then, research the treatment options. Last look at a palliative care approach. My advice is to do no harm. Many treatments are brutal at any age, let alone 90. If you have the resources and he is under the supervision of an oncologist, an alternative treatment may be far less harmful and he might benefit. But as long as he is willing, and his wishes are tantamount unless you are his guardian, I would go with palliative care, then hospice to ensure that the time he has left is of the highest quality. Embrace each day you have with him and if he is able, create a few more positive memories with him.
Yes. Keep him oiled down with frankencense and myrrh oil...talk to him about the beauty of the ages...show him how much you care with hugs and lullabye children songs and the miracle of peace and agreement will reign in the days he has remaining! God bless!
I highly recommend the book, "Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End" by Atul Gawande. It addresses the question of quality of life vs length of life. I think that is very relevant when dealing with a cancer diagnosis in someone age 90.
Summerj, do you know what this person's wishes are regarding treatment? Is there a healthcare directive completed in the past?
My mother (87 years) was diagnosed with blood cancer last year. She went through quemotherapy for 6 months and the side effects were just horrible for her. She became very weak while she was in therapy, plus she got depressed, her memory issues got a lot worse. I realized later it was not the best decition, I wish someone have given me another point of view and suggested me a more gentle kind of treatment. More important than having the cure of her illness, now I´m focused on giving her the best quality of life she can have. Good luck
My Father is 94 and has been very lucky over the years to have had excellent health and continues to do so. He has made it quite clear to us that there is to be no medical intervention should he be diagnosed with something life threatening........nature is to take it's course. My family agrees 100%.
I just saw my 69 year old sister-in-law go through so much suffering and pain with her treatments because the docs thought they could cure her. Get second opinion. Become educated about the cancer. Talk to the pallitive care part of the team and ask for honest assessment. Quality of his days vs quantity of days.
I have no medical advice I only have the knowledge of what I would do if the same were to happen to my grandmother. I don’t know the condition overall of your father perfectly healthy other than the pains of age or otherwise. But if my 91 yr old grandmother were to be diagnosed with cancer I wouldn’t tell her. I wouldn’t treat it, no surgery, no chemo, no radiation. At that age haven’t then been through enough? I think you have to ask yourself are the side effects worth the very minimal gain, if any, on living longer? My grandmother was mysteriously bleeding off and or from the nether regions and I made the choice not to explore for possible explanations. Would having a colonoscopy at her age do her more harm? Does your father need to carry the burden of knowing he has cancer? Would his body even be strong enough for treatment? What would you want for yourself? I’m sorry I seem to be asking more questions than giving my personal advice. This is my take on cancer at the age of 90.
What Pepsee said - if he is not in pain, let it be.
BUT, what does your father want to do? I ask that because when my DH had a cancer scare at 90, he wanted treatments if needed. Thankfully, it was not cancer. We pretty much stopped having him checked for cancers after that. Since he went through Chemo at age 80 for Colon Cancer, I didn't want him to have to do that ever again.
He continued to see the dermatologist twice a year for the pre-cancerous age spots. Those were frozen off.
You'll have to pretty much follow your father's wishes re: treatment. Why not look online for alternative measures? You can google it and today I would use that if I was ever diagnosed with cancer. I don't believe Chemo is the way to go personally, I really do think most of us are over-medicated.
Feb 2018 my 90 year old mom was admitted to hospital and immediately diagnosed with a type of age related bone cancer - they kept asking about history of cancer in the family - we have none I said - they refused to listen. Bone marrow biopsy done - won’t show me results - just kept saying cancer and talking low dose chemo - at 90 and with no history of cancer in the family?! NO. We went for second opinion to Fox Chase Cancer Center - we were told it might be but because mom only had a low blood count and about 50% abnormal cell growth that they wanted to monitor her every 2 months. Blood test and doctor visit every 2 months. SUPER HAPPY to report that as of last visit a few weeks ago the oncologist said « you blood levels are up, you show no other symptomology, abnormal cell growth happens as we get in to the advanced stages of aging and it is nothing to worry about - NO CANCER - come back in 6 months just as a precaution. PLEASE GET A SECOND OPINION!
I like Shakings idea. But agree with Pepsee. Your parent has ALZ/Dementia. They will not understand what is going on. Maybe not make their needs known. Going under could make the Dementia worse. Its really not fair putting them through a treatment. They can't follow directions. 90 is a long time to live. My decision would be to get Hospice in so my LO was kept comfortable. My Mom didn't like to be touched and poked and prodded.
Summerj, do you know what this person's wishes are regarding treatment? Is there a healthcare directive completed in the past?
BUT, what does your father want to do? I ask that because when my DH had a cancer scare at 90, he wanted treatments if needed. Thankfully, it was not cancer. We pretty much stopped having him checked for cancers after that. Since he went through Chemo at age 80 for Colon Cancer, I didn't want him to have to do that ever again.
He continued to see the dermatologist twice a year for the pre-cancerous age spots. Those were frozen off.
You'll have to pretty much follow your father's wishes re: treatment. Why not look online for alternative measures? You can google it and today I would use that if I was ever diagnosed with cancer. I don't believe Chemo is the way to go personally, I really do think most of us are over-medicated.
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GF is 90. If he's in no pain, I'd leave it alone. I've seen many seniors die from the treatments, before the cancer itself killed them.
The treatments can be so horrible for them. They can spend the last parts of their lives suffering. And to what end?
I don't think it's worth it. If he's not in pain, let him be. If he is in pain, treat only the pain.
That's what I would do, regardless of the type or location of it.
Best of luck, just enjoy him.
Has it been staged?
Does dad have any cognitive impairments?