Study: Laparoscopic Surgery for Colorectal Cancer Better for Elderly

Researchers in Hong Kong report that elderly colorectal cancer patients who undergo less-invasive laparoscopic surgery tend to fare better than those who undergo open surgery.

The researchers at the University of Hong Kong Medical Centre compared the outcomes for 65 patients with a median age of 75 who had laparoscopic surgery to outcomes for 89 patients with a median age of 77 who had open surgery.

While operating time using the laparoscopic approach tended to be almost an hour longer (180 minutes versus 135 minutes), they reported in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons that blood loss was only half as great in the laparoscopic group and only one patient in that group died compared to five in the open group.

They also reported that patients who had laparoscopic surgery had earlier return of bowel function (3 days versus 4 days), earlier resumption of solid diet (3 days versus 5 days), shorter hospital stays (7 days versus 9 days), and less cardiopulmonary morbidity (7.7 percent versus 22.4 percent).

"Laparoscopic colorectal resection is a safe option for elderly patients and is associated with more favorable short-term outcomes in terms of earlier return of bowel function, earlier resumption of diet, and shorter hospital stay," the researchers concluded. "It is also associated with less cardiopulmonary morbidity, which is an important complication after colorectal surgery in the elderly."

Other Sources: Journal of the American College of Surgeons