Outcome of laparoscopic colectomy for cancer in elderly patients

Resection for colon cancer in the elderly is a major undertaking. However, data on the outcome and survival of elderly patients who underwent laparoscopic resection for colon cancer are limited. This study of patients older than 75 years compared outcome and survival between those who underwent laparoscopic resection and those who had open resection for colorectal cancer.

From 2000 to 2009, 434 patients ages 75 years and older who underwent elective resection for colon cancer were included in the study. Patients who had rectal cancer or had undergone emergency operations were excluded. Preoperative diagnosis was determined by colonoscopy, and computed tomography scan was performed for preoperative staging. Data on the patients’ demographics, operative details, pathology results, postoperative results, and survival were collected prospectively. The patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery were compared with those who had open surgery.

The study included 434 patients (210 men) with a median age of 80 years (range 75–95 years). Of these 434 patients, 189 underwent laparoscopic resection. Nine patients (4.8 %) required conversion to open operation. The patients did not differ in terms of age, gender, incidence of medical comorbidities, or stage of disease. The median operating time was longer in the laparoscopic group, but the blood loss was significantly less. Laparoscopic resection was associated with a lower mortality rate and a shorter hospital stay (p < 0.05). The open resection group had significantly more cardiac complications (p < 0.05). The overall 5-year survival rates were similar between the patients who had laparoscopic resections and those who had open surgery.

For patients older than 75 years, laparoscopic resection of colon is associated with less intraoperative blood loss, a shorter hospital stay, fewer cardiac complication, and a lower mortality rate than open resection. Therefore, the authors recommend laparoscopic resection of colon cancer as the treatment of choice for elderly patients.