Short-term outcomes of laparoscopic surgery in octogenarians with colorectal cancer: a single-institution analysis.

PURPOSE

The number of elderly patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) treated with surgery has gradually increased. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term outcomes in patients ≥80 years of age who underwent laparoscopic or open surgery for CRC using a propensity score-matched analysis to make uniform the patient background characteristics affecting the postoperative morbidity and mortality.

METHODS

We compared the short-term outcomes of open vs. laparoscopic surgery in patients with CRC ≥80 years of age between 2010 and 2015. Fifty-two patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy for CRC were matched to 52 patients undergoing open colectomy with respect to gender, age, body mass index, performance status, prognostic nutritional index, Charlson Comorbidity Index score, tumor-node-metastasis stage, and tumor location. The operative time, blood loss, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications were investigated.

RESULTS

Blood loss was less during laparoscopic surgery than during open surgery (40 vs. 140 ml, p < 0.001). In the laparoscopic surgery group, the hospital stay was shorter (11 vs. 14 days, p < 0.001) and the morbidity rate lower (21.2 vs. 40.4%) than in the open surgery group. The mortality for both groups was similar (0 vs. 1.9% for laparoscopic surgery vs. open surgery).

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic surgery in octogenarians with CRC is a safe, low-invasive alternative to open surgery with less blood loss and a shorter hospital stay.