BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of elderly patients (≥ 70 years old) undergoing curative hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Clinicopathological data and treatment outcomes in 100 elderly patients (≥ 70 years old) and 120 control patients (≤ 70 years old) with HCC who underwent curative hepatectomy between 2000 and 2011 were retrospectively collected and compared. RESULTS: The overall survival rate was similar between the two groups, but the disease-free survival rate was worse in the elderly group when compared with the control group. Prognostic factors for overall and disease-free survival were the same when comparing the two groups. The elderly group had higher rate of females (p = 0.0230), higher hepatitis C virus infection rate (p = 0.0090), higher postoperative pulmonary complication rate (p = 0.0484), lower rate of response to interferon (IFN) therapy (p = 0.0203) and shorter surgical time (p = 0.0337) when compared with the control group. The overall recurrence rate was higher in the elderly group than in the control group (p = 0.0346), but the rate of recurrence within 2 years after the operation was similar when comparing the two groups. CONCLUSION: The survival of elderly patients with HCC was similar to that of younger patients. However, the disease-free survival was worse in elderly patients than in younger patients. Aggressive antiviral therapy (e.g. IFN therapy) may be necessary to improve the disease-free survival, even in elderly patients. Additionally, clinicians should be aware of the risk of pulmonary complications in elderly patients after hepatectomy.
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of elderly patients (≥ 70 years old) undergoing curative hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Clinicopathological data and treatment outcomes in 100 elderly patients (≥ 70 years old) and 120 control patients (≤ 70 years old) with HCC who underwent curative hepatectomy between 2000 and 2011 were retrospectively collected and compared. RESULTS: The overall survival rate was similar between the two groups, but the disease-free survival rate was worse in the elderly group when compared with the control group. Prognostic factors for overall and disease-free survival were the same when comparing the two groups. The elderly group had higher rate of females (p = 0.0230), higher hepatitis C virus infection rate (p = 0.0090), higher postoperative pulmonary complication rate (p = 0.0484), lower rate of response to interferon (IFN) therapy (p = 0.0203) and shorter surgical time (p = 0.0337) when compared with the control group. The overall recurrence rate was higher in the elderly group than in the control group (p = 0.0346), but the rate of recurrence within 2 years after the operation was similar when comparing the two groups. CONCLUSION: The survival of elderly patients with HCC was similar to that of younger patients. However, the disease-free survival was worse in elderly patients than in younger patients. Aggressive antiviral therapy (e.g. IFN therapy) may be necessary to improve the disease-free survival, even in elderly patients. Additionally, clinicians should be aware of the risk of pulmonary complications in elderly patients after hepatectomy.
Authors: Travis A Shutt; Prejesh Philips; Charles R Scoggins; Kelly M McMasters; Robert C G Martin Journal: J Gastrointest Surg Date: 2016-01-25 Impact factor: 3.452