Who bears the risk of procedures?

Recently a patient aged 80 with lower oesophageal cancer was being assessed for fitness for surgery. It was decided that his heart disease led to a high risk of oesophagectomy, and that he should not be offered surgery. He complained that this was unfair as he was the one who was being exposed to the risk, and he should be allowed to take the risk if he wanted to (rather than the surgeon being the one who decided). An interesting point of view?