[COSA 80: Oncologic surgery in the elderly patients]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Geriatric Medicine
• Surgical Oncology

Background:

• Increasing life expectancy leads to a higher incidence of cancer in older adults.
• Surgical resection is the primary treatment for resectable digestive tumors.
• Evaluating surgical outcomes in octogenarians is crucial due to age-related health considerations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and outcomes of curative oncological surgery in patients aged 80 and above.
• To analyze the impact of such surgery on morbidity and mortality rates.
• To identify risk factors associated with postoperative complications in this age group.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter prospective cohort study included 230 patients aged 80+ undergoing curative surgery for digestive cancer.
• Patients underwent comprehensive onco-geriatric assessments, including WHO, G8, IADL, ADL, and nutritional evaluations.
• Geriatric scores were reassessed 3 months postoperatively.

Main Results:

• The study included 230 patients (51% male, 49% female) with a mean age of 84.7 years.
• Colorectal cancer was the most common diagnosis (65.81%).
• Age did not significantly influence mortality; the only significant postoperative change observed was an improvement in WHO performance status (P=0.021).

Conclusions:

• Curative oncological surgery is a viable option for elderly patients (80+) without negatively impacting quality of life or autonomy.
• A multidisciplinary geriatric assessment is essential for determining the benefit-risk ratio of curative treatment in this population.
• Careful patient selection through geriatric evaluation is key to successful surgical outcomes in older adults.