title: Laparoscopic versus open hepatectomy for elderly patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To date, it is unclear whether laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) is a suitable treatment for elderly patients (aged ?65 years) with liver metastases from colorectal cancer. The aim of the present study was to clarify the value of LH in the elderly using the propensity score matching method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 385 elderly patients who underwent hepatectomy for liver metastases from colorectal cancer at our institution between January 2008 and January 2016 were prospectively collected. Propensity score matching was applied at a ratio of 1:1 to compare LH and open hepatectomy (OH) groups. The short- and long-term outcomes were compared between the matched groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The LH group had significantly less blood loss than the OH group. The postoperative length of hospital stay was shorter in the LH group than in the OH group: however, no significant intergroup differences were found in morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, the 5-year overall (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were similar between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LH for elderly patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer was feasible and safe with acceptable oncologic outcomes. Therefore, patient age alone should not be considered as a contraindication when deciding between LH and OH as treatment options.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First People's Hospital of Liangshan Yi Nationality Autonomy District, Xichang 615000, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Maojin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tian
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D007902:Length of Stay; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D061646:Operative Time; D018579:Patient Selection; D057216:Propensity Score; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome