Don’t wait until you’re over 65 to get screened for cancer, study finds



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Very few people enjoy going to the doctor, whether it’s because they fear finding out the truth about their health or dread the high medical bills that result. However, there are some things in life that shouldn’t be delayed, and if you’re the type who gets discouraged from going to the doctor, there’s a new study for you. New research from Stanford Medicine suggests you should change your habits, especially if you’re in your early sixties. Read on to find out why you shouldn’t wait until your later years to get screened for cancer, and for more signs you should see a professional, know if you experience this at night you need to get your liver checked, doctors Say.

Screening by a doctor for cardiac risk factors for breast cancer
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The recent study, which was published in the journal Cancer on March 29, analyzed data from hundreds of thousands of patients aged 61 to 69. Of the patients studied, 134,991 had lung cancer, 175,558 had breast cancer, 62,721 had colon cancer, and 238,823 had prostate cancer – the four which are among the most common cancers in the country. According to research, the biggest jump in these four cancer diagnoses followed the transition from age 64 to 65. Then, “in the years after the age of 65, diagnostic rates declined for all cancers,” the researchers said in a press release.

And for some common cancer symptoms, be aware that if you sweat at night, it could be a sign of these types of cancer.

Doctor and elderly man wearing face masks during a coronavirus outbreak.
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“For the most part, we’ve shown that cancer diagnoses increase dramatically as people reach age 65 and are therefore eligible for Medicare. This suggests that many people are delaying their care for financial reasons until they reach the age of 65. that they get health insurance through Medicare, “lead author Joseph shrager, MD, a professor of cardiothoracic surgery at the Stanford School of Medicine, said in a statement.

People aged 61 to 64 are generally uninsured because they retired prematurely and suffer from a lack of medical insurance, the study says. Between 13 and 25 percent of the adults in the study were either uninsured or pending Medicare eligibility.

Colon cancer was one of the most prominent examples of people not being screened until they are on Medicare, according to the results. The annual growth rate of colon cancer was only 1 to 2% in the years before Medicare eligibility, but that number rose to almost 15% by age 65.

And for more age-related health concerns to consider, if you’re over 65, these common drugs pose high risks, study finds.

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Because of late cancer screenings, people are diagnosed later and have a worse chance of survival. As Shrager said, “If you don’t get the right screening or a timely diagnosis, you will have lower cure rates.”

The researchers also found that cancer patients with medical insurance have “lower five-year cancer-specific death rates” than uninsured patients. Insured patients were also more likely to have surgery.

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Shrager believes that some type of Medicare expansion could help uninsured Americans get tested earlier. Currently, the Biden administration is pushing to lower the age of Medicare eligibility to 60 after the Affordable Care Act is passed, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Until changes are made, Medicare – which includes hospital insurance, medical insurance, and prescription drug coverage – is only available to people over 65, youth with disabilities, and those with disabilities. people with permanent kidney disease requiring dialysis, Medicare.gov notes.

And for more symptoms to watch out for, check out These Are All the Warning Signs of Cancer that are lurking in plain sight.

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