What is it about?
This publication describes the case of a 94-year-old woman diagnosed with an aggressive form of stomach cancer. After receiving full information about her diagnosis and treatment options, she consciously decided to refuse surgery and chemotherapy and chose supportive care instead. Over more than one year of follow-up, she remained alive, physically active, mentally intact, and socially engaged, despite not receiving any anticancer treatment. Her disease progressed slowly, challenging the common assumption that aggressive cancers always lead to rapid decline in very old patients. This case shows that cancer behavior can vary greatly, especially in people of very advanced age, and that medical decisions should not be based on age alone. Most importantly, it demonstrates that respecting patient autonomy and prioritizing comfort and quality of life can be a medically and ethically appropriate choice in geriatric oncology.
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Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
Why is it important?
This work is important because it addresses two underrepresented areas in cancer care: patients of extreme age and ethical decision-making at the end of life. Medical literature rarely reports cancer cases in individuals over 90 years old, despite this population growing rapidly worldwide. The case highlights that aggressive treatment is not always the best or desired option and that quality of life, autonomy, and dignity should be central goals of care in the oldest-old population. By aligning clinical observation with modern oncogeriatric and palliative principles, this report encourages clinicians to move beyond survival-focused thinking and toward truly patient-centered care.
Perspectives
As a clinician, this case deeply influenced how I think about cancer care in very old patients. It reminded me that medicine is not only about extending life, but about understanding what makes life meaningful for each individual. This woman did not “give up” on treatment — she made an informed, conscious choice about how she wanted to live. Her stability and preserved quality of life showed me that sometimes the most respectful and professional decision is not to intervene aggressively, but to listen carefully. I hope this case helps clinicians feel more confident in supporting individualized decisions, and helps patients and families understand that choosing comfort, dignity, and autonomy is not failure — it is an expression of humane and thoughtful medicine.
Dr Aleksandr Martynenko
LLC “Multifunctional Medical Center” M-clinic, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Quality of Life Over Quantity: Conscious Refusal of Treatment and Stable Course of Gastric Signet-Ring Cell Carcinoma in a 94-Year-Old Woman, Cureus, December 2025, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.98597.
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