Surgery for carcinoma of the colon in people aged 75 years and older.

From January 1976 to June 1986, 154 patients (75 men and 79 women) who were 75 years of age or older were admitted for the surgical treatment of a colonic cancer. The mean age was 80.7 years. Patients were divided into two groups: 66 patients, between 75 and 80 years of age, were in Group I; 88 patients, 80 years of age and older, were in Group II. One hundred and forty-three patients (93%) were operated on and a resection was carried out in 125 patients (87%). The overall post-operative mortality rate was 12% (Group I: 5%; Group II: 17%; p less than 0.02). The actuarial survival rate of patients operated on was 32 +/- 8% at 3 years and 26 +/- 8% at 5 years (Group I: 37%; Group II: 17%). In both groups the survival rate was closely related to the extent of the disease according to Dukes classification. These results suggest that in the 75-80 year group age alone should no longer be considered a major risk factor for immediate surgical outcome. In patients aged 80 and older, the results are worse but it is not advanced age per se which influences mortality, rather the physiologic status of the patient.