Impact of age on short-term outcomes and oncologic prognosis after radical surgery for colorectal cancer over 60.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is becoming increasingly common in adults ≥ 60 years old, yet postoperative prognosis of curative-intent surgery for the advanced elderly (≥ 80 years) remains controversial.
A retrospective cohort study included 971 CRC patients aged ≥ 60 years who underwent curative-intent surgery from January 2018 to December 2023 in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital. Patients were stratified into "ordinary elderly group" (OE) (60-79 years, n = 800) and "advanced elderly group" (AE) (≥ 80 years, n = 171). Clinicopathological variables, 30-day morbidity/mortality, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were collected and analyzed the differences between the two groups. The study was presented in accordance with the STROBE reporting checklist.
The AE had more right-sided CRC (P < 0.001) and higher rate of preoperative obstruction (P < 0.001). They underwent more emergency (P = 0.002) and open procedures (P < 0.001), resulting in longer postoperative stays P = 0.030). Overall, 30-day morbidity was comparable (P = 0.76), but perioperative mortality rate was higher in AE (P = 0.041). The median follow-up was 36.1 ± 22.1 months, and recurrence rates (P = 0.58) and 5-year DFS (log-rank P = 0.42) did not differ between groups. Multivariate analysis identified TNM stage, perineural invasion, vascular invasion, preoperative intestinal obstruction, and proficient Mismatch Repair (pMMR) as independent predictors of DFS; age ≥ 80 years was not prognostic (p = 0.81).
Despite a higher burden of comorbidities and increased perioperative mortality, no statistically significant difference in long-term oncological outcomes was observed between AE and OE following rigorous patient selection and perioperative management in CRC patients. Advanced age alone should not preclude standard curative resection.
A retrospective cohort study included 971 CRC patients aged ≥ 60 years who underwent curative-intent surgery from January 2018 to December 2023 in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital. Patients were stratified into "ordinary elderly group" (OE) (60-79 years, n = 800) and "advanced elderly group" (AE) (≥ 80 years, n = 171). Clinicopathological variables, 30-day morbidity/mortality, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were collected and analyzed the differences between the two groups. The study was presented in accordance with the STROBE reporting checklist.
The AE had more right-sided CRC (P < 0.001) and higher rate of preoperative obstruction (P < 0.001). They underwent more emergency (P = 0.002) and open procedures (P < 0.001), resulting in longer postoperative stays P = 0.030). Overall, 30-day morbidity was comparable (P = 0.76), but perioperative mortality rate was higher in AE (P = 0.041). The median follow-up was 36.1 ± 22.1 months, and recurrence rates (P = 0.58) and 5-year DFS (log-rank P = 0.42) did not differ between groups. Multivariate analysis identified TNM stage, perineural invasion, vascular invasion, preoperative intestinal obstruction, and proficient Mismatch Repair (pMMR) as independent predictors of DFS; age ≥ 80 years was not prognostic (p = 0.81).
Despite a higher burden of comorbidities and increased perioperative mortality, no statistically significant difference in long-term oncological outcomes was observed between AE and OE following rigorous patient selection and perioperative management in CRC patients. Advanced age alone should not preclude standard curative resection.