title: Rectal cancer surgery in patients more than 80 years of age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This retrospective study aimed to compare the prognosis for rectal cancer in patients more than 80 years old with that observed in younger patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients operated on for a rectal adenocarcinoma, from 1980 to 1998, were divided into two groups: group 1 (>80 years, n = 92); group 2 (<80 years, n = 276).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant differences between the two groups with regard to the sex ratio, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, the emergency presentation, and the curative operation rate. The operative mortality rate was 8% in group 1, 4% in group 2 (P = 0.26). The overall 5-year survival rate was 35% in group 1, 53% in group 2 (P = 0.0004). In patients operated on for cure, the cancer-specific 5-year survival rate was 50% in group 1, 59% in group 2 (P = 0.08).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prognosis for rectal cancer in patients over 80 years is not significantly different from that of younger patients. Surgery should not be restricted on the basis of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Hôpital Tenon, 4 rue de la Chine, 75020 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barrier
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferro
authors.forename: Sidney
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Houry
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lacaine
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huguier
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003082:Colectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011336:Probability; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome