BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to determine the age-associated prognosis in patients who underwent curative resection for colorectal cancer.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1993 and 1999, a total of 136 patients underwent curative surgical procedures for colorectal cancer. The study population was divided into three groups according to the age of the patients. Group A: patients younger than 45 years, group B: patients between 45 and 75 years and group C: patients older than 75 years. Tumour location, Dukes' staging, tumour differentiation and five-year survival were evaluated.
RESULTS: There was no significant association between age and tumour staging or tumour differentiation (p=0.990, p=0.753 and p=0.308, respectively). The overall survival at 5 years was 85.7% for the young patients, 77.5% for the middle-aged patients and 62.5% for the elderly patients.
CONCLUSIONS: This aged-grouped study indicates that prognosis is comparable between younger and middle-aged patients whereas in elderly patients it is worsening but not statistically significantly.