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Outcomes of rectal cancer treatment—influence of age?

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International Journal of Colorectal Disease Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate how age influences the selection to different treatment modalities for rectal cancer and how these differences in approach affect the short- and long-term outcomes.

Methods

A single-center cohort of all 837 rectal cancer patients diagnosed between 1994 and 2006 was analyzed. Patients <75, 75–79, 80–84, and >85 years were compared.

Results

Treatment for cure was judged possible for 80.8, 77.9, 74.6, and 65.3 % of the four age groups (p = 0.02), and radiochemotherapy was given to 22.9, 19.3, 10.2, and 2 % of the same groups (p = 0.001). Local resection was performed for 3.7, 14.7, 13.6, and 24.5 % (p < 0.001) and anterior resection for 66.6, 54.1, 56.8, and 49 % (p < 0.001). The 5-year rates of local recurrence were 5.3, 8.3, 12.8, and 22.3 % (p < 0.001), and overall survival was 70, 54, 45.9, and 29.8 % in the four groups treated with curative intent (p < 0.001). Relative survival was 76.4, 72.6, 72.9, and 72.3 % (ns).

Conclusions

Age caused treatment to be modified; there was less surgery for patients over 85 years, less radiochemotherapy over 80 years, and less major radical surgery over 75 years. This strategy resulted in more local recurrences among the elderly, although no certain effect on relative survival was observed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, 7006, Norway

    T. Stornes, A. Wibe & B. H. Endreseth

  2. Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

    A. Wibe & B. H. Endreseth

  3. Department of Public Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

    P. R. Romundstad

Authors
  1. T. Stornes
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  2. A. Wibe
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  3. P. R. Romundstad
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  4. B. H. Endreseth
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Correspondence to T. Stornes.

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Stornes, T., Wibe, A., Romundstad, P.R. et al. Outcomes of rectal cancer treatment—influence of age?. Int J Colorectal Dis 29, 825–834 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-014-1878-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-014-1878-y

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