Abstract
Purpose : We show physical and social risk factors of elderly colorectal cancer patients undergoing operations.
Method : We investigated an older age group of colorectal cancer patients (75 years or older ; 108 cases) and conducted comparisons with a younger age group (74 years or less ; 276 cases) in terms of patient background, course in the hospital, living style including discharge pathway, pharmacotherapy, and prognosis.
Results : Over 70% of the older age group had underlying disease and multiple risk factors, but no difference from the younger age group was seen for progress of cancer, curative operation rate or degree of operative damage. Home discharge was difficult for 28.7% of the older age group, and pharmacotherapy rate and prognosis were poor for those patients without young generational support. The 5-year survival rate for the whole older age group was poor, at 52.2%, but the disease-specific 5-year survival rate after excluding CurC cases was good, at 88.4% (no significant difference was apparent).
Conclusion : Although elderly patients had many risk factors, the prognosis of elderly patients who underwent curative operation was good. Provision of curative surgery while taking care of existing risk factors is therefore important. We thought that the low pharmacotherapy rate and lack of social support contributed to poor prognosis.
