High Serum CA19-9 Concentration Predicts Poor Prognosis in Elderly Patients with Stage IV Colorectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The optimal treatment strategy for elderly patients with stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC) remains controversial due to limited research data. The purpose of this study was to evaluate treatment results and to clarify the prognostic factors, especially poor prognosis factors, in elderly patients with stage IV CRC.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the data of 82 elderly patients (aged ≥75 years) with stage IV CRC who underwent surgical treatment at our hospital between April 2001 and March 2017. Factors that affected prognosis and the ability to undergo treatment were analyzed via multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

The median overall survival (OS) in the patients with high pretreatment serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) concentration (> 370 U/mL) was significantly worse than in those with lower serum CA19-9 concentration (0-370 U/mL) (8.5 vs. 19.2 months, = 0.0059). In univariate analysis, age (≥80 years) ( = 0.014), performance status of 1-3 ( = 0.028), and high pretreatment serum CA19-9 concentration ( = 0.014) were significant prognostic factors for poor OS. By contrast, resection of the primary tumor ( = 0.024), chemotherapy ( < 0.0001), and resection of distant metastasis ( = 0.0005) were significant prognostic factors for favorable OS. Multivariate analysis showed that a high pretreatment serum CA19-9 concentration was an independent prognostic factor for poor OS ( = 0.01). Meanwhile, resection of the primary tumor ( = 0.033), chemotherapy ( < 0.0001), and resection of distant metastasis ( = 0.0008) were prognostic factors for favorable OS.

CONCLUSIONS

A high pretreatment serum CA19-9 concentration (> 370 U/mL) was a reliable predictive factor for poor prognosis, and aggressive treatments should be performed carefully in these patients. Moreover, various treatments, including surgery and chemotherapy, might improve OS in elderly patients with stage IV CRC.