Local MP joins Breakthrough Breast Cancer to ensure older patients are given every chance to beat breast cancer

11.57.00am GMT Tue 2nd Mar 2010

Local MP Annette Brooke joined forces with Breakthrough Breast Cancer, 24th February, as the charity launched the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Every Chance campaign to urgently tackle the barriers that limit equal access for older patients to breast cancer treatments and care.

At the launch, the MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole made her commitment to equality within the NHS after hearing mounting evidence that older breast cancer patients are missing out on every chance to access appropriate treatment.

Recent research funded by Breakthrough and others shows that some older patients are not benefitting from the advances in radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery over the last ten years that have dramatically improved the survival chances of younger patients:

* Breast cancer patients aged over 80 are 40 times less likely to receive surgery than younger patients

* Where surgery does take place older women are significantly less likely to receive breast conserving surgery

* Older women are significantly less likely to receive standard treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy than younger women

Annette also heard about Daphne Cook who, after being diagnosed with breast cancer aged 74, was told by her consultant that she needn't have radiotherapy if her age meant it was difficult for her to get to the hospital to have the life-saving treatment. Luckily for Daphne, her daughter, a health professional, was with her and questioned the consultant's reasoning.

The risk of breast cancer increases with age and currently a third of all breast cancers occur in women aged 70 and over. Experts predict a rise from nearly 46,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer today, to 57,000 in 2024 - an increase of over 20% meaning potentially thousands more breast cancer patients.

Annette Brooke MP says: "Ensuring that all breast cancer patients in Mid Dorset and North Poole receive fair treatment regardless of their age is a hugely important issue and I thank Breakthrough for highlighting it through the Every Chance campaign. Anyone who feels they did not receive full access to treatment because of their age should get in touch with me and I'll share your experiences with the charity."

Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said:

"Ten years ago women like Daphne were not being given a full range of treatment options and our research has found this is still the case today, despite many advances in breast cancer treatment.

"With nearly 12,000 women dying of breast cancer each year it is scandalous that all women are not receiving equal access to the treatments they need. Breakthrough Breast Cancer's Every Chance campaign highlights that in breast cancer treatment, where risk of disease increases with age, older patients could once again be discriminated against. Whoever forms the next Government needs to make sure that age equality is at the top of their agenda so we can put a stop to what doctors have themselves called institutional ageism in the NHS