Should patients over 85 years old be operated on for colorectal cancer?
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study is to evaluate risk factors for mortality, morbidity, and long-term survival in very old patients with colorectal cancer compared with old patients.


METHODS
Patients operated on with colorectal cancer aged 75 years old or older were divided into 2 groups: Group A (75-84 years, n = 93) and Group B (>or=85, n = 21).


RESULTS
The serum albumin level, oxygen pressure in arterial blood gases, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second in Group B were significantly lower than in Group A, respectively (P = 0.0094, 0.0264, 0.0363). Pulmonary complications were developed significantly more frequently in Group B than in Group A (P = 0.0019). Group B had a significantly higher mortality rate than Group A (P = 0.0477). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in the 2- and 5-year survival rates.


CONCLUSIONS
Very old patients with colorectal cancer should not be denied surgery on account of chronological age alone, although the perioperative risks for the very old are very high.
Takeuchi
Kunio
K
Department of Surgery, Tone Chuo Hospital, Numata-city, Gunma, Japan.
Tsuzuki
Yasushi
Y
Ando
Tetsu
T
Sekihara
Masao
M
Hara
Takashi
T
Kori
Takayuki
T
Nakajima
Hiroki
H
Asao
Takayuki
T
Kuwano
Hiroyuki
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome