In the geriatric population, the primary reason cancer is diagnosed in

In the geriatric population, the primary reason cancer is diagnosed in its later stage is:

1. Health care benefit coverage is often inadequate
2. Symptoms are often masked by the effects of aging
3. Clients are reluctant to seek help for the early symptoms
4. Symptoms are often attributed to the aging process

ANSWER

ANS: 4
Most cancer survivors (61%) are over the age of 65 (IOM, 2006). Often health care providers wrongly attribute the symptoms of cancer or the symptoms from the side effects of treatment to aging. This often leads to late diagnosis or a failure to provide aggressive and effective treatment of symptoms.
While the geriatric population may have a problem with adequate health care coverage, it is not the primary cause of delayed cancer diagnosis in that population.
While symptoms may be masked by the effects of aging, it is not the primary cause of delayed cancer diagnosis in this population.
While symptoms can be attributed to the aging process for individual geriatric clients, it is not the primary cause of delayed cancer diagnosis in this population.