What Charlotte Rae's Cancer Plan Reveals About Medical Decisions Late In Life

Actress Charlotte Rae, 91, has revealed that she was just diagnosed with bone cancer. And like many who get a diagnosis of a serious illness at an advanced age, her first decision wasn’t what the best treatment plan might be but rather whether she should seek treatment at all. “At the age of 91, I have to make up my mind,” she told People magazine. “I’m not in any pain right now. I’m feeling so terrific and so glad to be above ground.” Rae, who was treated for pancreatic cancer several years ago, added, “Now I have to figure out whether I want to go have treatment again to opt for life. I love life. I’ve had a wonderful one already. I have this decision to make.” Rae, best known for her role as Edna Garrett on “Diff’rent Strokes” and then on “The Facts of Life,” received six months of treatment at the UCLA Center for Pancreatic Disease. She described the side effects as “not too bad” but said she still wants to mull over whether to undertake treatment for bone cancer. While time is generally considered to be of the essence in most cancer discoveries and treatments, Rae allowing herself some space to decide whether she wants to receive treatment at her age makes perfect sense. Age alone, of course, should not be a barrier to cancer care for those who want it. But not everybody wants it. A study of 1,000 cancer patients in the U.K. found that 12 percent over age 75 d...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news