Impact of age on the short-term postoperative outcome of patients undergoing surgery for colorectal carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Patient age has a decisive impact on the short-term postoperative results in surgery for carcinoma.


METHODS
This prospective multicenter study involved 75 German hospitals and 3756 patients undergoing treatment in 1999: 1447 aged under 65 years, 1847 aged 65-79 years, and 458 aged over 80 years.


RESULTS
In the oldest patient group, there was a significantly higher proportion of extensive, localized tumors (UICC stage II: 25.9%, 28.4%, and 36.1%, respectively) and significant differences were found among the three groups in operation rates (98.8%, 98.6%, and 96.5%), resection rate (94.2%, 93.2%, and 83.9%), general postoperative complications (21.5%, 28.6%, and 41.2%), morbidity (36.5%, 42.6%, and 50.0%) and mortality (2.7%, 6.6%, and 11.8%).


CONCLUSIONS
In the elderly, locally advanced tumors, but not metastasizing tumors, are to be expected. The increase in postoperative morbidity and mortality rates with increasing age was due to the increase in general postoperative complications. Surgery for colorectal carcinoma in patients of advanced age is not associated with any increase in intraoperative or specific postoperative complications.
Marusch
Frank
F
Institute for Quality Management in Operative Medicine, Department of Surgery, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany. frank.marusch@medizin.uni-magdeburg.de
Koch
Andreas
A
Schmidt
Uwe
U
Zippel
Roland
R
Gastmeier
Jörg
J
Ludwig
Klaus
K
Geissler
Sven
S
Pross
Matthias
M
Gastinger
Ingo
I
Lippert
Hans
H
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003082:Colectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome