title: Clinico-Pathological Caracteristics, Therapeutic Features and Post-operative Course of Colorectal Cancer in Elderly Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colorectal cancer is predominantly a disease of elderly people and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly population. The geriatric colorectal population is a very heterogeneous group, including patients with excellent health status and others with comorbid conditions, functional dependency, and limited life expectancy. On the other hand, the effectiveness of surgery for colorectal cancer depends on it being carried out safely, which allows most patients to return to productive lives, with an improved post-operative life expectancy or at least one that is not diminished by the surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  This work is a descriptive study of a retrospective cohort, based on administrative databases, of all patients with colorectal cancer diagnosed or treated in our institution. We extracted data on sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidity, type of cancer, stage of cancer, type of treatment received, post-operative complications and cause of post-operative death. We compared differences between an elderly group (Group A) (age >75 years) and a group of patients below 75 years (Group B).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that elderly patients with colorectal cancer were more likely to be operated in emergent conditions, had more non-specific complications and more post-operative mortality than patients below 75 years. On the other hand, tumours stages, tumours characteristics and post-operative specific morbidity have been proved to be similar, both in Group A and Group B patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that surgery is feasible and can be safe for patients above 75 years, but it needs much more evaluation of comorbidities, pre- and post-operative intensive care to avoid post-operative non-specific complications.
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Surgery, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital , Mrazga 8000 Nabeul, Tunisia .
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bouassida
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Surgery, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital , Mrazga 8000 Nabeul, Tunisia .
authors.forename: Mohamed Fadhel
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Chtourou
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital , Mrazga 8000 Nabeul.
authors.forename: Lamine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hamzaoui
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Surgery, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital , Mrazga 8000 Nabeul, Tunisia .
authors.forename: Selim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sassi
authors.affiliation: Student, Department of Surgery, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital , Mrazga 8000 Nabeul, Tunisia .
authors.forename: Mohamed Mongi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mighri
authors.affiliation: Student, Department of Gastroenterology, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital , Mrazga 8000 Nabeul, Tunisia .
authors.forename: Mohamed M'saddak
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Azzouz
authors.affiliation: Student, Department of Surgery, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital , Mrazga 8000 Nabeul, Tunisia .
authors.forename: Hassen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Touinsi
authors.affiliation: Student, Department of Surgery, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital , Mrazga 8000 Nabeul, Tunisia .
authors.forename: Sadok
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sassi
keywords: Colectomy; Colorectal cancer; Post-operative morbidity ligament; Post-operative mortality