Clinical characteristics and prognosis of elderly patients with colorectal cancer: Comparison between surgical resection and supportive care

Elderly colorectal cancer (CRC) patients tend to avoid standard treatment, especially curative surgical resection, because of concerns about surgical complications or underlying diseases. This study is intended to compare clinical characteristics and prognosis between patients who had undergone surgical resection and received supportive care, and to evaluate the usefulness of surgical treatment in elderly patients.A total of 114 patients aged ≥80 years who were diagnosed with CRC were analyzed retrospectively. Of these patients, 73 patients underwent surgical resection for malignancy and 41 patients received supportive care. Clinicopathological factors and overall survival (OS) rates were compared.The surgical resection group had better Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status, and a lower stage than did the supportive-care group. The 3-year OS rate of the surgical group was significantly higher than that of the supportive-care group (60.7% vs 9.1%, P < .001). In extremely elderly patients (age ≥85 years), the surgical group showed a better 3-year OS rate than did the supportive-care group (73.9% vs 6.3%, P < .001), although Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status and ASA physical status were not different. The post-operative mortality rate was 2.7%. In the analysis of risk factors related to survival, surgical resection was a good prognostic factor.Surgical treatment in elderly CRC patients showed a survival benefit, even in the extremely elderly patients. Surgical resection for CRC in elderly patients can be considered to improve survival.

Surgical oncology in patients aged 80 years and older is associated with increased postoperative morbidity and mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis of literature over 25 years

BACKGROUND

The study aim is to analyze the evolution over the last 25 years of the results reported after abdominal oncological surgery in patients aged 80 years of age and older. The primary endpoint was morbidity and mortality in this group of patients; the secondary endpoint was overall survival.

METHODS

A systematic search strategy was used to browse through Medline/PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials using a combination of standardized index terms. Studies published between 1997 and 2017 were selected. Only those studies that showed morbidity and mortality after digestive and hepatobiliary tract oncological surgery in individuals aged 80 years and older were included. The PROSPERO registration number is CRD42018087921. PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines were applied.

RESULTS

A total of 79 studies were included, categorized by origin of malignancy: esophageal (7), stomach (26), liver (4), pancreas (19), and colorectal (23). Compared with the non-elderly group, the elderly group had similar esophageal morbidity with higher mortality (RR 2.51, 1.50 to 4.21; P = 0.0005); higher gastric morbidity (RR 1.25, 1.09 to 1.43; P = 0.001), and mortality (RR 2.51, 1.81 to 3.49; P = 0.0001); similar liver morbidity and mortality; higher pancreatic morbidity (RR 1.17, 1.03 to 1.33; P = 0.02) and mortality (RR 2.37, 1.86 to 3.03; P < 0.00001); and similar colorectal morbidity with higher mortality (RR 4.44, 1.91 to 10.32; P = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

Oncological surgery of most abdominal visceral tumors is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients older than 80 years.

Evaluation of short-term outcomes of laparoscopic-assisted surgery for colorectal cancer in elderly patients aged over 75 years old: a multi-institutional study (YSURG1401)

BACKGROUND

The short-term outcomes of laparoscopic-assisted surgery for colorectal cancer (LAC) have not been fully evaluated in elderly patients. The aim of this study was to compare the short term surgical outcomes of LAC between the patients older than 75 years and those with non-elderly patients.

METHODS

This retrospective multi-institutional study selected patients who underwent LAC between April 2013 and March 2014 at Yokohama City University Hospital and its related general hospitals. The patients were categorized into two groups: elderly patients (>75 years of age: group A) and non-elderly patients (<75 years of age: group B). Surgical outcomes and post operative complications were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

A total of 237 patients were evaluated in the present study. Eighty-four patients were classified into group A, and 153 into group B. Preoperative clinicopathological outcomes demonstrated no significant differences except for the ASA score. When comparing the surgical outcomes between group A and group B, the rate of conversion to open procedure (3.6% vs 5.2%, P = 0.750), median operation time (232 min vs 232 min, P = 0.320), median blood loss (20 ml vs 12 ml, P = 0.350). The differences were not significantly different in the surgical outcomes. The incidences of > grade 2 post operative surgical complications were similar between two groups ((19.0% vs 15.7%, p = 0.587). No mortality was observed in this study. The length of postoperative hospital stay was also similar (10 days vs 10 days, p = 0.350).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study suggested that LAC is safe and feasible, regardless of the age of the patient, especially for elderly patients who may be candidates for colon cancer surgery.