Treatment Of Elderly Cancer Patients Is Not Recommended By Chemotherapy, This Is The Reason

Illustration of cancer patient care (Freepik)

JAKARTA - Treatment or treatment for cancer patients in the elderly may not be arbitrary. Consultant for Oncology Hematology Prof. Dr. dr. Ikhwan Rinaldi said cancer patients, especially blood cancer, are not recommended to do treatment with chemotherapy.

"In the cases of patients aged 60 years and over, we are no longer doing intensive chemotherapy because the risk of death and failure is high," said Ikhwan in an online speech at the RSCM in Jakarta, as quoted by Antara.

The doctor, who is a member of the Indonesian Medical Oncology Hematology Association (Perhompedin) and the Indonesian Oncology Association (POI), added that the treatment needed is palliative care to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

Palliative care is an approach taken to improve the quality of life of patients and patients' families. The treatment is carried out with actions such as reducing pain, physical, spiritual and social problems experienced by patients.

Although it is often aimed at end-stage cancer sufferers, palliative treatment can also start when a patient is diagnosed with cancer.

During the treatment period, oncology doctors will help patients relieve the symptoms they feel by providing prescriptions for additional pain relievers for cancer. Doctors will also check regularly on the condition of cancer patients to monitor their health.

"The most important treatment is the treatment of palliative supportive, such as blood transfusions if the red blood cells decrease, then if the platelets drop we have to add so that bleeding does not occur".

Furthermore, Ikhwan explained that blood cancer is a condition when blood cells turn abnormal or virulent. Most of this cancer begins in the bone cord where blood cells are produced and divided into three groups, namely kiosk, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.

"In addition to mental blood cancer, there are also other groups, namely lymphoma, but this is a possibility of survival for the better. There is also multiple myelomas, namely excess plasma cells and can cause trouble," he said.

Ikhwan explained that blood cancer is systemic, so that when a person is detected with blood cancer, cancer cells can spread quickly throughout the body.

Therefore, Ikhwan suggested that patients treat cancer regularly to avoid more serious complications. Starting from chemotherapy, radiotherapy, to spinal cord transplantation.

However, treatment such as chemotherapy is not recommended by doctors for patients aged 60 years and over because it is at high risk, so doctors recommend that patients perform palliative treatment. The treatment can be carried out by the patient in accordance with the patient's family's approval.

"We treat it based on its symptoms, the others are psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually to increase the motivation of its life," said the doctor who practices at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital.

" Palliative care is carried out so that patients are not depressed and can be stronger, increase efforts to survive, and encourage their lives," he added.

Ikhwan explained that palliative treatment will be carried out by a team of doctors according to the patient's needs, starting from definitive therapy and the impact of the disease. That way, patients can feel motivated and more enthusiastic in living life.

"The target is that patients do not let their quality of life decrease, but instead increase in the remaining time and can make better decisions for themselves," said Ikhwan.