When compared with the middle-aged, elderly patients hospitalized for cancer surgery are more likely to experience post-operative complications, according to new study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The 18-month study included a sample size of 939,150 who underwent cancer operations between 2009 and 2011. The team of researchers sought out specific age-related events and estimated their prevalence in relation to age, additional health issues and the site of their cancer.
The results showed 1 in 10 patients 55 and up had at least one post-operative issue. The likelihood of an issue increased with the patient's age. For patients 75 and older, nearly 46 percent had at least one issue.
While cancer is most prevalent in older adults, the effects and manifestations of geriatric events have previously not been well quantified. The elderly are more prone to age-related issues like dehydration, delirium, falls, bed sores and failure to thrive. The study found that the occurrence of geriatric events in cancer patients can spur further complications post-surgery. In cancer treatment, these conditions of the elderly are often subverted in the prioritization of other datasets like survival rates and chemotherapy toxicity.
"With the population aging, it's becoming increasingly important to consider not only the survival benefits of cancer surgery but the impact on functionality, vitality and quality of life," said the study's first author Hung-Jui Tan, MD, who is a urologic oncology researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles.
One of the study's limitations was its reliance upon administrative claims, a dataset designed for billing purposes that may not always be a perfect representation of a patient's medical circumstances.
"The study can't prove that advanced age directly causes post-operative problems. But the findings suggest doctors and patients should consider these potential risks when deciding the best course of treatment," Dr. Tan said.
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