More than 500,000 Americans will have Alzheimer’s disease this year, but nearly 250,000 won’t know it, according to a new report. The Alzheimer’s Association told NBC News that doctors don’t want to tell patients bad news, are scared of how they might react or fear they won’t be believed. But having a firm diagnosis is important for patients; if they are diagnosed, they want to be aware of what choices they have. The Alzheimer's Association found in its annual report that although 5.3 million Americans have the disease, just 45 percent of people with Alzheimer’s or their caregivers said in the poll that their doctor had given them a diagnosis. "These disturbingly low disclosure rates in Alzheimer's disease are reminiscent of rates seen for cancer in the 1950s and '60s, when even mention of the word 'cancer' was taboo," said a group official. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s and treatment options are few.

Read More