title: Colorectal cancer in patients over 70 years of age: determinants of outcome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate operative risk factors, the mortality, morbidity and survival in old patients with colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1160 patients with colorectal cancer, 398 patients aged 70 years or older, from 1970 to 2000, were followed-up. Dukes' classification, differentiation, sex, anatomical site and survival were compared with patients <70 years old.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Long-term results have been proved to be similar both in young and old patients. Relative survival rate for patients aged 70-95 (70.5%) were similar to those for patients less than 70 years old (71.6%) and also comparable between male (72.3%) and female (68%) patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elderly patients have a lower capacity to react to postoperative complications, but the relative survival is similar to younger patients. Advanced age alone should not be used as a criterion to deny surgery for colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: 1st Propedeutic Surgical Clinic, Aristotle University, AHEPA Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Basdanis
authors.forename: V N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Michalopoulos
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fahantidis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Apostolidis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berovalis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zatagias
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karamanlis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003082:Colectomy / Q000379:methods; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D019990:Perioperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011336:Probability; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome