To assess postoperative outcomes after curative-intent oncologic surgery for colorectal cancer (CRC) and identify independent risk factors for complications or mortality within the first 30 days post-surgery, particularly in older patients.
Key Findings:
Postoperative complications in older patients ranged from 6% to 50%, with mortality rates up to 20% within 30 days, highlighting the variability in outcomes.
Comorbidities were identified as the strongest predictors of postoperative complications, emphasizing their critical role.
Age alone did not significantly influence postoperative outcomes, suggesting other factors are more impactful.
Interpretation:
Preoperative identification of risk factors, particularly comorbidities, can help optimize surgical outcomes in older patients undergoing CRC surgery, leading to improved patient management.
Limitations:
The retrospective nature of the study may introduce bias, as it relies on existing clinical records which can be incomplete or inconsistent.
Exclusion of patients with appendicular tumors and local rectal excisions may limit generalizability of findings to the broader population.
Conclusion:
A nomogram was developed to predict postoperative morbi-mortality in older patients, emphasizing the importance of assessing comorbidities for better surgical decision-making and patient outcomes.
