C Il Grande

Colorectal Cancer Collaborative Group

E Minona

F Mosca

JJ Smith

KM Devon

M A Trovato

S Puleo

T R Portale

BMC Geriatrics

English

PubMed

C Grande

Springer - Publisher Connector

Our experience in surgery for colorectal cancer in elderly patients

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MEETING ABSTRACT Open Access
Our experience in surgery for colorectal cancer
in elderly patients
F Mosca*, M A Trovato, E Minona, C Il Grande, T R Portale, S Puleo
From de Senectute: Age and Health Forum
Catanzaro, Italy. 5-7 December 2009
Background
The effectiveness of surgery for colorectal cancer
depends on it being carried out safely, which allows
most patients to return to productive lives. Since color-
ectal cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality
in elderly people [1], this study was designed to evaluate
the outcomes of surgery in elderly patients.
Materials and methods
In the period 1973-2003, in our institution, we surgically
managed 931 patients for colorectal cancer; 48 patients,
28 males and 20 females, aged 80 years and over (mean
age 83.7 years). The tumor was located in the left colon
in 20 cases (41.6%), in the rectum in 11 (22.9%) and in
the right colon in 17 patients (35.4%). 33 patients
(68.7%) were treated with colonic resection and primary
anastomosis, 8 (16.6%) with Hartmann resection, 5
(10.4%) with colostomy, 1 (2%) with abdominal perineal
resection and 1 (2%) with anastomosis between ileum
and transverse colon without resection. The stage was A
in 7 patients, B in 22, C in12 and D in 7.
Results
The operative mortality rate was 0. The infection of the
surgical wound occurred in 10 patients, whereas 4 cases
of bronchopneumonia took place (8.3%). We had also
registered 1 anastomotic leak in a male patient with left
colon cancer (2.08%). The median hospital stay was 13.1
days (range 9-22 days) and the 5 year survival was
56.2% (27/48). No patients had adjuvant therapy
Conclusions
This study demonstrates that surgery should not
be denied to elderly patients with colorectal cancer; age
is not a limitation for surgery, tumour stage and co-
morbidity define the surgical treatment [2]. The morbid-
ity and mortality figures for elective procedures are not
different from the younger age population and favour-
able long-term outcome can be achieved by resectional
surgery [3]. Diagnostic methods, rate of curative opera-
tions performed, staging, morbidity rate and 5-year sur-
vival rate are similar to younger patients. Finally the
behaviour of colorectal carcinoma does not change with
age and the age has no effect on the long-term survival
of elderly patients.
Published: 19 May 2010
References
1. Smith JJ, Lee J, Burke C, Contractor KB, Dawson PM: Major colorectal
cancer resection should not be denied to the elderly. Eur J Surg Oncol
2002, 28:661-666.
2. Colorectal Cancer Collaborative Group: Surgery for colorectal cancer in
elderly patients. A systematic review. Lancet 2000, 356:968-974.
3. Devon KM, Vergara-Fernandez O, Victor JC, McLeod RS: Colorectal cancer
surgery in elderly patients. Presentation, Treatment, and Outcomes. Dis
Colon Rectum 2009, 52:1272-1277.
doi:10.1186/1471-2318-10-S1-A17
Cite this article as: Mosca et al.: Our experience in surgery for colorectal
cancer in elderly patients. BMC Geriatrics 2010 10(Suppl 1):A17.
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Department of Surgical Sciences, Organ Transplantation and Advanced
Technologies, University of Catania, Catania, Italy, 95100, Italy
Mosca et al. BMC Geriatrics 2010, 10(Suppl 1):A17
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2318/10/S1/A17
© 2010 Mosca et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.


Colorectal Cancer Collaborative Group: Surgery for colorectal cancer in elderly patients. A systematic review. Lancet

PM: Major colorectal cancer resection should not be denied to the elderly. Eur J Surg Oncol

RS: Colorectal cancer surgery in elderly patients. Presentation, Treatment, and Outcomes. Dis Colon Rectum

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=3290157

Our experience in surgery for colorectal cancer in elderly patients

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