title: Clinical outcome of rectal cancer in patients ≥ 80 years treated in southern France (PACA region) between 2002 and 2005.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rectal cancer in patients aged ≥ 80 years is increasingly more frequent. Little is known regarding their clinical history and outcome after treatment. This retrospective study was undertaken to provide data on this situation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was sent to the medical doctors of 414 patients listed in the database of Régime Général of Sécurité Sociale, living in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region between 2002 and 2005, aged ≥ 80 years, and registered as having rectal cancer. Survival was analyzed and correlated with patients' and treatment characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Validated questionnaire was available for 78 patients representing close to 20% of the PACA-targeted population. The majority of patients presented a T3 tumor treated with surgery (61 cases). Median follow-up for the 78 patients was 42 months and the 5-year overall survival was 51%. In the multivariate analysis, the main prognostic factors were gender (better survival in women), age ≤ 85 years, and most of all performance of surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rectal cancer for patients between 79 and 85 years does not differ much from that in younger patients and can be treated in a similar manner--depending on the patient's general condition. In patients > 85 years, it is advisable to reduce surgical trauma as much as possible.
authors.affiliation: Pôle de Gérontologie - CHU Nice, Université Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Guerin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gal
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Francois
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jacqueme
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sciortino
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gerard
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome