Outcome of hepatectomy in hepatocellular carcinoma patients aged 80 years and older.

Abstract

The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the effect of age on the outcome of hepatic resection in octogenarian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Data of 408 consecutive primary HCC patients who underwent curative hepatectomy were studied. The surgical results of the younger group (<80 years of age) and the elderly group (≥80 years of age) were compared. Preoperative parameters, such as comorbid conditions and liver function tests, of the younger group (n=385) were comparable with those of the elderly group (n=23). Surgical data and the prevalence of postoperative complications did not differ significantly between the two groups. The long-term prognosis of the elderly group patients was almost identical to that of the younger group patients. Overall 3-year survival rates for the elderly group and the younger group were 95.7% vs. 84.8%, respectively (p=0.56). Disease-free three-year survival rates for the elderly group and the younger group were 47.2% vs. 47.7%, respectively (p=0.65). Hepatectomy is a viable treatment alternative with satisfactory surgical outcome for HCC even in patients aged 80 years or older.