Leading US doctor says he won't get treatment if he gets cancer after 75

Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, a leading US oncologist and bioethicist, discusses why he will stop preventative screenings and other major medical treatments after he is 75-years-old. #CNN #news

[@incognito-yj4gu]

My mother died with colon cancer at 82. She refused chemo because " It makes no sense to put one sickness on top of another. " That attitude makes perfect sense to me.

[@judithdavis5169]

I will be 90 next year, and totally agree with the good Doctor! So far I have been lucky in the health department . I try to stay away from doctors , medical appointments and tests, and do not fear death.. What I do fear, is ending up in a nursing home with a room mate I can't stand!

[@barbara1409]

I'm an 84 year old retired nurse. I'm with you! Do not want to get on that train, to prolong suffering, wear out my family and deplete my resources. I value quality of life over longevity.

[@tommygirl6659]

My father passed away at 75. He passed away in his sleep. It was unexpected, he wasn’t sick. He had just returned from his annual 6 month trip to the DR. That is how I want to die. No illness, no treatment, no suffering or pain. Here today, gone tomorrow, living life to its fullest

[@michellebegin386]

I’m 76 and a retired RN …and I am in total agreement with this doctor. Quality of life is priority.

[@AAA19999]

My dad lived well until 84 years with minor health issues, dropped dead from a heart attack after having a fun day out with family - I hope I go like that !

[@bibipersaud9018]

I agree. I'm 75 in Feb & I made that decision too. I am a retired RN educator...... So glad to find a professional who thinks this way too.

[@sebastianliwinski222]

My mother's neighbour in the countryside died at 103 years old....she wasn't visiting doctors,taking any medication..

[@jenny6253]

I’m an ICU nurse and I believe that if people truly knew what was ahead of them with Chemotherapy many would not choose that misery.

[@nicole4779]

This man is a DOCTOR!! HE KNOWS what life looks like on chemo, etc. Respect to this man!

[@MrCherbear1990]

My grandmother died of medically assisted death at 86 because she had very advanced stomach cancer…She didn’t receive any treatment for it because she knew it would just make it worse. She was an amazing woman and she lived her life with dignity right up to the end.

[@t.d108]

It makes me sad to see that people are doing this with their pets now, making them go through painful ‘procedures’ - all because they can’t bear to part with them, let them go…

[@zigzag4462]

We lost my mom to cancer last year, and the treatments she had over the last six months of her life made her absolutely miserable. My dad still thinks a lot of her treatments made no difference, and there were a lot of decisions that were made based on the fact that her health insurance paid for them, not because they would prolong her life in any meaningful way.

[@meursaultscourtroom8886]

I agree, I work in a hospital and I can tell you most drs die at home not taking intensive treatments in a hospital unlike a lot of their patients. Once you fall into the medical black hole of life extending treatments you will not climb out and all you've done is make it more difficult for yourself to die peacefully and easily and surrounded by loved ones. It's definitely a personal choice but it's important to realize that keeping your body alive is not always living.

[@wsteele5864]

I am 73. I am exactly in line with Dr. Emanuel's thinking. We are very active (hiking 6-7 miles a day, my wife doing an hour of yoga each day, light weight lifting, etc.) but we are not going to do extraordinary interventions (chemo for a poor prognosis condition, etc.). Right now life is great and we are making the most of every day. When life inevitably takes that turn, it will have been a great life and I will let the end come.

[@jamesfitton140]

What a great video! This doctor has professionally expressed how I have felt for a long time.

[@glacey4906]

I work in aged care. The existence of the elderly in these places tears my heart out. Behind closed doors, most dont know their suffering.

[@Ralphie5023]

My dad recovered from a cancer surgery at 84 . That was over 10 years ago . He is now 95 and going strong !

[@G--do8ro]

Completely agree with this doctor’s wisdom. I had chemo in my 40’s for uterus cancer and it permanently changed me mentally and physically. I made the same decision as the good doctor. I won’t go through chemo or the medical system like that again. It’s too traumatizing for everyone involved. Age 75 is an admirable accomplishment and I’ll be grateful if I can reach it.

[@virtualworldsolutions]

This doctor is right on.