Coenzyme Q10 and colorectal neoplasms in aged patients

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a quinone located in cellular membranes, is a compound with mitochondrial bioenergetic functions whose antioxidant activity has recently been defined. CoQ10 content in colorectal neoplasms is significantly higher than in normal colorectal mucosa. While older patients (aged over 70 years) have also a significantly higher CoQ10 content, not observed in younger patients (aged under 70 years), the normal mucosa, instead; shows constant CoQ10 levels in both groups. For the same local stage (T), an increase in lymph node involvement (N) was observed in older patients as compared to younger ones, but not in distant metastases (M) with the same 5-year survival. These results justify the same therapeutic approach for patients older or younger than 70 years.