Short-term outcomes of surgery in elderly patients with colorectal cancer

• Main Authors: Mohamad Salmi, Muhammad Irfan, Elagili, Faisal, Md Nor, Azmi, M., Mustapha, M., Suhaimi, N., Abd Manaf, S., Parthasarathee, M., Senin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer 2023
• Subjects: RD Surgery
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/104995/7/104995_%20Short-term%20outcomes.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/104995/; https://journals.lww.com/dcrjournal/Citation/2023/06000/Meeting_Abstracts_from_the_2023_Annual_Scientific.35.aspx
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

Background: Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment for colorectal cancers. The implications of the use of surgery in elderly patients are not clear. Aim: To assess the effect of surgery on short-term outcomes in elderly patients with colorectal cancer. Methods: Colorectal cancer patients undergoing surgical resection from December 2017 - September 2022 were identified from charts and retrospectively examined. Patients were grouped using a cut-off of 65 years into two groups. Demographic and clinicopathological variables, surgery type, and short-term outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results: One hundred six patients were included in the study (55 age <65 and 51 age≥ 65). The two groups were similar in the patient’s characteristics. In the elderly group, the median age was 72 years,(65 to 94 years). The mean number of in-hospital days and major complication rate did not differ between groups (p=0.24; p=0.83, respectively). In elderly patients, the 30-day postoperative mortality rate was 12% as compared to 0% in younger patients (p = 0.009). On univariate analysis, the only factor associated with 30-day postoperative mortality was advanced age (p = 0.01). Limitations: This study was limited because of its retrospective nature and single center Conclusion: According to our study, colorectal cancer patients over the age of 65 who undergo surgery have considerably higher mortality rates related to their advanced age. To develop a complete CRC treatment strategy, one of the elements we must consider is aging.