Ninety-seven Years Old Hispanic Male With Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Treating geriatric patients can be difficult. Patients often present with subtle or atypical symptoms, and end-of-life care is rarely neatly packaged. We present a case of a 97 years old Hispanic male with multiple medical problems who was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma after thoracentesis from what was thought to be a para-pneumonic effusion. An oncology evaluation determined that he was not a candidate for aggressive treatment. There is no evidence of curative treatment for mantle cell lymphoma. To complicate the decision making process further, the patient’s primary caregiver requested specifically that the health care team withholds the diagnosis from the patient. We discuss the inherent difficulties associated with end-of-life care. KEYWORDS: Geriatrics; End-of-life care; Mantle cell lymphoma; Hispanic