In an American Retired Persons magazine I read that ageism may also affect cancer patients. For example, the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that only 65 percent of colon cancer patients ages 55 to 74 and 40 percent of patients 75 and over were given or offered chemotherapy after surgery. Patients under age 55 were offered chemo 90 percent of the time.

I do not know whether this age bias is practiced by NHS doctors in the UK or indeed, whether it applies to neck and mouth cancers.

What interests me is, being aged over 65 I was offered only radiation therapy following surgery. This I put down to chemo being unnecessary in my case. Now I wonder!

Regards, Fridge

I was 47 and given radiation only, no surgery or chemotherapy. I think that mouth cancer is especially receptive to radiation, and that chemo is only used if it spreads to the lungs. I remember being told that chemo is not very effective anyway with mouth cancer.

I got the option for Chemo and went with it. The doctors said it increased my chances by about 5% to 8%. So I started it, and it nearly broke all my strenght, I immediately went down hill losing strenght and the immune system quickly shut down (10 days) . I couldnt repair myself. That lead to infections that wouldnt heal. They stopped it after 14 days when my cell count dropped further. I was 49. The doctor wanted to put me back on it, after the radiation finished, but decided not to. All is ok now, what a roller coaster of a cocktail! I stick to Campari now .