Prognostic factors in 165 elderly colorectal cancer patients

AIM:To analyse the prognostic factors in 165 colorectapatients aged≥70.METHODS:One hundred and sixty-five elderly patients withcolorectal cancer diagnosed by histology were entered intothe retrospective study between 1994 and 2001.Patientswere given optimal operation alone,chemotherapy afteroperation,or chemotherapy alone according to tumor stage,histology,physical strength,and co-morbid problems.Survival rate was calculated by Kaplan-Meier method,andcompared with meaningful variances by Log-rank method.Prognostic factors were analyzed by Cox regression.RESULTS:The 1,2,3,4,5 year survival rate(all-cause mortality)was 87.76 %,65.96 %,52.05 %,42.77 %,40.51%,respectively.The mean survival time was 41.89±2.33 months(95 % CI:37.33-46.45 months),and the median survivaltime was 37 months.Univariate analysis showed that factorssuch as age,nodal metastasis,treatment method,Duke’sstage,gross findings,kind of histology,and degree ofdifferentiation had influences on the survival rate.Multivariateanalysis showed that factors such as treatment method,Duke’s stage,kind of histology and degree of differentiationwere independent prognostic factors.CONCLUSION:This study suggests that the prognosis ofelderly colorectal cancer patients is influenced by severalfactors.Most of elderly patients can endure surgery and/orchemotherapy,and have a long-time survival and goodquality of life.