Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Comparative Study
. 1998 May;85(5):607-10.
doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2168.1998.00685.x.

Pancreatic cancer resection in elderly patients

V DiCarlo  1 , G Balzano, A Zerbi, E Villa
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Pancreatic cancer resection in elderly patients

V DiCarlo et al. Br J Surg. 1998 May.

Abstract

Background: Pancreatic cancer resection is considered a high-risk procedure in patients aged 70 years or older.

Methods: Some 398 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, observed between 1990 and 1995, were reviewed. Operative outcome and survival of 33 patients aged 70 years or more were compared with findings in 85 younger patients who underwent resection.

Results: Resectability was not significantly different between the elderly and younger patients; neither were mortality or overall morbidity. However, patients aged 70 years or more had more relaparotomies (P < 0.01) and more haemorrhagic complications (P < 0.001). Nutritional recovery after resection was satisfying even for elderly patients (body-weight gain and increase in serum albumin concentrations, P < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed a moderately poorer survival in the elderly (P = 0.09). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that tumour diameter, grading and Union Internacional Contra la Cancrum stage were independent prognostic factors, whereas age was not.

Conclusion: Patients aged 70 years or more can benefit from pancreatic cancer resection similarly to younger patients.

PubMed Disclaimer

Publication types