Self-Perception of Aging May Affect the Prognosis of Older Adults with Cancer

A study in Cancer Medicine suggests the self-perception of aging may influence older people's risk of dying early after a cancer diagnosis, reports Medical Xpress . The authors looked at 140 individuals 65 and older who were diagnosed with non-metastatic cancer and followed for up to six years. Participants with a more negative attitude toward aging were 3.62 times more likely to die than those with a more positive self-perception. "This research highlights the importance of self-perceptions of aging for our health, and remind us of the need to change our attitudes towards older people," said the University of Liège's Sarah Schroyen.