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By Richard Woodman
LONDON, Mar 08 (Reuters Health) - Patients aged 80 or over should not be denied colorectal cancer surgery on the basis of age alone, researchers reported on Thursday. It seems that although the surgery is riskier in the short term, over a number of years the outcome is comparable to that seen in younger patients, according to Jason Smith and colleagues at the colorectal surgery unit in West Middlesex University Hospital, UK.
In the study, the researchers collected data on 276 patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery between 1994 and 2000. About 60 patients were 80 or older.
The patients were followed for roughly three to four years after surgery, and the researchers found that that 12% of patients aged over 80 died in hospital as a result of complications compared with only 4% of the younger patients.
However if patients survived their operations and were discharged from hospital, the five year survival rate was essentially the same between the two groups--65% versus 69%. The results were presented at the European School of Oncology's first colorectal cancer conference in London.
Smith said that while being over 80 was a risk factor for major complications and death just after surgery, "patients should not be denied surgery based on their age alone, as the (long-term) outcomes are comparable".
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