94 year old with advanced dementia and now a breast cancer diagnosis

Is your mother on hospice care for advanced dementia? If so she can still have treatment for invasive ductal carcinoma, technically (you can still have treatment for diagnoses that are different from your hospice diagnosis).

My mother had dementia and was 93, I think, when she had major abdominal surgery. But she was in a crisis of blockage and pain. Going to the hospital and then coming home was extremely disorienting for her: she had no memory of home. I said no to surgery at first but it turned out hospice would have done a procedure anyway.

Have you talked with PCP or with an oncologist? If your mother's expected life expectancy is not long, perhaps palliative care measures are best. Treatment other than surgery might involve anti-estrogen meds, if her cancer is hormone-positive. Those can be quite effective in shrinking tumors and/or preventing growth.

The main goal here would be palliative. Along with PCP and oncologist, I hope you can speak with a palliative care or hospice doctor. The hospital will often provide a consult, if she is inpatient.

mimiz12 @mimiz12
In order to get diagnosis, she must off had some tests / biopsy performed. How did she handle those tests. That would be a good indication of what to expect in future.

Also, what stage have they told you it is? How aggressive?

Is her dementia only memory, or does she become frustrated and aggressive. It is stressful to someone who knows what is happening, can not imagine someone who does not understand.

I think @windyshores made some excellent points. Have a discussion with oncologist about treatment options and what happens if do nothing? If early and small, maybe a lumpectomy and no additional treatment.

Who treats her dementia, have discussion with that provider also.

This might apply to any 93 year old with or without dementia. How much longer is life prolonged my doing everything medically possible vs the quality of that life.

My mother was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer . Up to that point she was a very active senior. She choose no treatment. Treatment would of prolong her life some, but she did not want her life to revolved around countless clinic and hospital visits. She accepted the fact she was going to die from the disease. Her husband (my dad) was sick for years and my mom was caretaker. They never went anywhere except the clinic. I think she did not want to repeat that life. She was able to make her own decision and died peacefully at her home under hospice care.

I would not want to be in your situation making those decisions for your mom. You know your mom, what do you think she would do if she did not have dementia.

Wishing you the best
Laurie

Treatment for breast cancer can even just be anti-estrogen meds, no surgery, depending on testing. Many of us don't have chemo anymore thanks to Oncotype genomic testing.