Colon cancer surgery has more complications for patients over 65

Colon cancer surgery has more complications for patients over 65

9/4/2014

Surgery for colon cancer patients has worse outcomes for those over 65, as shown in a study covering 10 years of colorectal cancer surgery information.

The authors focused in records from the USA, and examined the trends and outcomes of colorectal cancer surgery in the elderly in a sample of inpatients from 2001 through 2010. Patients were divided into age groups: 45-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, and 85 years and older.

Among the more than 1 million patients with colorectal cancer included, 63.8% of the operations were performed on patients 65 years and older and 22.6% on patients 80 years and older. Patients 80 years and older were 1.7 times more likely to require urgent admission to the hospital than patients younger than 65 years. Compared to patients 45 to 64 years, higher hospital death and complication rates were seen in older patients. Patients 80 years and older also had a $9,492 higher hospital charge and a longer length of stay at the hospital (2.5 days longer) compared with patients younger than 65 years.

The total number of colon cancer surgeries decreased an average of 5.1% and 7% per year for the entire population and the aging population, respectively. Mortality rates improved in all age groups during the decade studied.

"In this extensive review of national trends of colorectal cancer resection, we observed that, despite the improvements in mortality and a decrease in the incidence of resection, older patients continue to have worse risk-adjusted outcomes compared with those who are younger," researchers say.

 

Source: Science Daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140409204431.htm

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