Survival Rates among Elderly Population with Advanced Colorectal Cancer in Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related mortality. Previous studies conducted in Saudi Arabia and provided information about the current situation regarding CRC but still, no enough data was found about the elderly population. Objectives: We aim to evaluate the overall survival of advanced CRC patients in the elderly population and to assess treatment tolerance. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis for the medical records department at Princess Norah Oncology Center (PNOC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. We included patients treated at PNOC in the period between 2010 and 2015. Only patients aged above 70 years old with the advanced colon. Results: We included 57 cases with advanced colon cancer in our final analysis. For all the patients in this cohort study, the average age of diagnosis was 76.51 ± 9.28 years, and 71.93% were males. Overall 1-year, 2-year, and 5-year survival rates were 84.3%, 72%, and 54%, respectively. Survival analysis suggested surgical treatment, local radiation, younger ages, recurrent patients, female patients, and Non-mucinous Adenocarcinoma were associated with better survival. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that younger age (HR 1.05, 95%CI=1.00-1.11, p-value=0.050), surgical treatment (HR 0.15, 95%CI=0.04-0.60, p-value=0.007) and local radiotherapy (HR 0.04, 95%CI=0.00-0.70, p-value=0.027) were significantly associated with longer survival. Newly diagnosed patients, males and mucinous adenocarcinoma were associated with shorter survival with no statistically significant difference. Conclusion: Survival rates among outpatients were higher than previous local studies. 5-year survival rate was 54%. Survival and regression analysis showed younger age, surgical treatment and local radiotherapy were significantly associated with longer survival.