[Characteristics of postoperative course in cancer patients]

Objective of our work was to analyze postoperative care peculiarities in elderly cancer patients over 80 years. A retrospective analysis is made in connection with postoperative course in 152 cancer patients. The I(st) group included patients over the age 80 years (8.7 years in average), and the II(nd) group included patients of 60 years. Distribution of the patients into groups was equivalent as per volume and duration of operations. We have established that postoperative complications in patients of the I(st) and II(nd) group were noticed as 46.0 and 12.5 percent accordingly, that included 22.5 and 2.8 percent of lung complications, 23.7 and 4.2 percent of cardiovascular complications. Episodes of disorientation (delirium) were noticed in every fifth patient over the age of 80 years. Postoperative death-rate made up to 13.7 percent in the I(st) group, and 2.8 per cent in the II(nd) one. Results of the performed work showed that surgical treatment of cancer patients over the age of 80 years is related to a higher risk. Therefore, indications for operation and its volume has to be defined strictly taking into consideration preoperative functional status of the patients.

1. Postoperative complications three times and mortality five times are higher in cancer patients over 80 years to compare to 60-year-old patients. 2. Preoperative live functions status influence more to postoperative mortality than age as independent risk factor.