New hope in combating cancer and dementia 'double whammy'

With the UK's ageing population increasingly at risk of both conditions, The Christie cancer centre in Manchester is pioneering vital new care techniques

- BY HANNA GEISSLER

Dementia and cancer are probably the two most feared conditions - and as people live longer this means more are diagnosed with both.

Estimates suggest around one in 13 of those living with dementia also has cancer. It's a double whammy with unique challenges. People with dementia are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at a later stage, reducing chances of successful treatment and survival. They may also struggle to understand their diagnosis, make informed decisions, remember to take medications, and communicate pain or side effects.

Macmillan dementia nurse consultant Lorraine Burgess says: "We're going to see a lot more people with both in the future. Usually people with dementia have other comorbidities. That's why it's important to know how to work with people with both.

"We shouldn't be saying, 'Just because that lady's got dementia, she shouldn't be involved in her care'."

One of the country's leading cancer hospitals is now pioneering new ways to support patients. The Christie in Manchester is the largest single-site cancer centre in Europe, treating over 60,000 patients annually. Lorraine, 68, has worked as a nurse for two decades and has masterminded innovations to improve care for patients with dementia and cancer over the last 12 years.

A diagnosis of cancer can turn anyone's life upside down, and for people with dementia the disruption to routine can be distressing. Lorraine says: "They come into hospital and are taken out of a familiar environment, so that confuses them. They often develop something called delirium - an acute, confused state. If they do develop that, they can end up staying in for quite a long time.

"People with dementia are at a 10 times higher risk of developing this delirium, so we try to prevent it. We make sure they get a lot of fluids, they don't get constipated, and they have pain relief."