title: Colorectal cancer treatment and follow-up in the elderly: an inexplicably different approach.
abstract: The incidence of colorectal cancer increases as age progresses. At present, elderly patients have received substandard cancer treatment not supported by "evidence." Geriatric assessment should be performed preoperatively and selected elderly patients must be offered standard surgical treatment receiving the same complementary therapies as a younger patient. It should be stressed that elderly patients should not be deprived of their decision-making role. In our experience, more than 43% of patients with colorectal cancer are ≥70 years of age, and we believe that they should receive the same type of follow-up. This would allow for the detection and removal of polyps, treatment of malignant tumors, and psychological support similarly to younger patients. Significantly, in our experience, the incidence of reoperation for neoplastic disease is similar in the two patient populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Organ Transplantation and Advanced Technologies, University of Catania, Catania, Italy. g.lidestri@unict.it
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li Destri
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cavallaro
authors.forename: Maria Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Trovato
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferlito
authors.forename: Marine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castaing
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puleo
mesh_terms: D000359:Aftercare; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D003657:Decision Making; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D012086:Reoperation