Crude 5-year Survival Rate Research Articles

Adverse prognostic impact of splenectomy on survival in gastric carcinoma patients: Regression and propensity score matching analysis of 1074 patients.

BackgroundsPatients with proximal gastric carcinoma undergo total gastrectomy with concomitant splenectomy to ensure the complete removal of splenic hilar lymph nodes. However, the impact of splenectomy on survival remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the impact of splenectomy on survival among patients with gastric carcinoma.MethodsOf 1074 patients who underwent total gastrectomy for proximal gastric carcinoma between 2006 and 2014, 229 patients underwent concomitant splenectomy or pancreaticosplenectomy during surgery. We investigated the prognostic impact of splenectomy using a regression and propensity score matched model.ResultsThe splenectomy and non-splenectomy groups differed in many baseline characteristics, including tumor stage, and had respective crude 5-year survival rates of 55% and 81% (p <0.001). In a multivariate analysis adjusted for TNM stage and other prognostic factors, splenectomy was an independent poor prognostic factor for overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.11–2.51) and disease-free survival (HR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.24–2.10). A survival evaluation stratified by TNM stage showed that splenectomy adversely affected survival among patients with stage III, but not stage I, II, and IV disease. In the propensity score-matched sample, splenectomy group also showed significantly worse overall survival (5-year, 65% vs. 79%, p = 0.010) and disease-free survival (5-year, 55% vs. 72%, p = 0.025) and was an independent poor prognostic factor in a multivariate analysis adjusting TNM stage and other prognostic factors.ConclusionsSplenectomy adversely affects survival, particularly among patients with stage III gastric carcinoma, and should be avoided unless there is direct invasion to the splenic hilum.

Marital status and survival in patients with rectal cancer: A population-based STROBE cohort study.

To examine the impact of marital status on overall survival (OS) and rectal cancer-specific survival (RCSS) for aged patients.We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database to identify aged patients (>65 years) with early stage rectal cancer (RC) (T1-T4, N0, M0) in the United States from 2004 to 2010. Propensity score matching was conducted to avoid potential confounding factors with ratio at 1:1. We used Kaplan-Meier to compare OS and RCSS between the married patients and the unmarried, respectively. We used cox proportion hazard regressions to obtain hazard rates for OS, and proportional subdistribution hazard model was performed to calculate hazard rates for RCSS.Totally, 5196 patients were included. The married (2598 [50%]) aged patients had better crude 5-year overall survival rate (64.2% vs 57.3%, P < .001) and higher crude 5-year cancer-specific survival rate (80% vs 75.9%, P < .001) than the unmarried (2598 (50%)), respectively. In multivariate analyses, married patients had significantly lower overall death than unmarried patients (HR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.71-0.83, P < .001), while aged married patients had no cancer-specific survival benefit versus the unmarried aged patients (HR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.81-1.04, P = .17).Among old population, married patients with early stage RC had better OS than the unmarried, while current evidence showed that marital status might have no protective effect on cancer-specific survival.

Survival of Australian women with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer: a population-based study.

To describe survival patterns in a nationally complete cohort of Australian women with epithelial ovarian cancer, by sociodemographic and clinical factors. All 1192 women diagnosed with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer in 2005 were identified through state-based cancer registries. We obtained detailed information from their medical records in 2009 and updated survival data in 2012. Crude 3-year, 5-year and 7-year survival rates; 3-year and 5-year conditional survival; and hazard ratios (HRs) for the association of participant and cancer characteristics with survival, from multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Overall crude 5-year survival was 35% (95% CI, 33%-38%). Conditional survival increased moderately for women who lived beyond a year from diagnosis, although for women alive 2 years after diagnosis, the probability of surviving a further 5 years was still only 53% (95% CI, 49%-57%). Increasing age and disease stage were most strongly associated with poor survival. After adjusting for these, survival was significantly worse for women with carcinosarcomas (HRadj, 2.1 [95% CI, 1.3-3.2]), clear cell (HRadj, 1.7 [95% CI, 1.2-2.3]) and mucinous (HRadj, 2.6 [95% CI, 1.6-4.0]) cancers than for women with serous cancers. Presence of ascites at diagnosis (HRadj, 1.5 [95% CI, 1.3-1.8]), Charlson comorbidity score ≥3 (HRadj, 1.5 [95% CI, 1.1-2.1]), relative socioeconomic disadvantage (HRadj, 1.2 [95% CI, 1.1-1.4]) and regional-remote residence (HRadj, 1.2 [95% CI, 1.0-1.4]) were also associated with poorer survival. Along with expected adverse effects of age and stage, we found survival differences by histological subtype, presence of ascites and comorbidities. Whether geographic and socioeconomic differences relate to treatment access or other factors warrants further investigation. Conditional survival estimates confirm the ongoing poor long-term prognosis for women with ovarian cancer, reinforcing the need for prevention and better treatments.

Abstract P5-12-01: A comparison of hormone receptor status in black women born in the U.S., West Africa, East Africa and the Caribbean - A SEER analysis

Abstract Background: Breast cancer is the leading cancer diagnosed among women in the United States (U.S.) and is second only to lung for cancer-related deaths in women. Although white women have a higher incidence of breast cancer, African American (AA) women with breast cancer have higher breast cancer related mortality and have a lower five year survival (73.8%) compared to their white counterparts (81.6%). AA women are also diagnosed at a younger age, with 30-40% of AA women diagnosed under 50, compared to 20% of whites, and are more likely to present with more estrogen receptor negative/progesterone receptor negative (ER-/PR-) tumors than whites (42% vs. 29% respectively). Other studies suggest these disparities extend to black African women and white European women. The aim of this study is to determine whether breast cancer characteristics seen in U.S. born black women are comparable to African born black women and to provide additional insight on the role of race and genetic ancestry in breast cancer. Methods: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data (SEER 18 Registries) was used to examine hormone receptor (HR) status among 30,003 black women, born in the U.S. (28,838), West Africa (167), East Africa (183), or the Caribbean (815), diagnosed with a first primary breast cancer from 2000 through 2009. Chi-square tests were used to determine whether clinical variables differed by ethnic group. Proportional incidence ratios (PIR) and 95% confidences intervals (CI) were calculated to estimate excess risk of ER-/PR- tumors between the populations. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in axillary lymph node, stage, histologic type, or surgical treatment at presentation by ethnic group. There was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of ER-/PR- receptor status comparing US blacks to black women born in West Africa (p-value = 0.16, PIR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.56-1.05), however women from East Africa and the Caribbean were less likely to have ER-/PR- breast cancers compared with US born blacks. (PIR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.35-0.74, p &amp;lt; 0.0001 PIR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.73-0.97, p&amp;lt; 0.01 respectively). The crude overall 5-year survival rate of West African, East African and Caribbean born black women was significantly higher than those born in the U.S. (75.7%, p = 0.023, 85.9% p &amp;lt;0.0001, 84.0% p&amp;lt;0.0001, 65.3% respectively). Discussion: Our results agree with historical data showing that many AA women have ancestral origins in West Africa and provides additional evidence supporting the role of ancestral genetics in breast cancer susceptability. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P5-12-01.

Mucinous Cystadenocarcinoma of the Appendix Mimics Acute Appendicitis

Mucinous Cystadenocarcinoma of the Appendix Mimics Acute Appendicitis

Survival of head and neck cancer in Greenland

Objectives. Head and neck cancer is frequent in the Inuit population of Greenland and is characterized by a very high incidence of Epstein-Barr virus associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, information on the treatment and survival of Inuit head and neck cancer patients is practically non-existent. The aim of this study, therefore, was to analyse the epidemiological pattern, time course and survival of head and neck cancer patients in Greenland.Study design. Retrospective register-based study.Methods. The Danish Civil Registration System, the Danish Cancer Registry and hospital-based registries were used to identify all patients resident in Greenland diagnosed with head and neck cancer during the period 1994–2003. Data were analysed with regard to clinical characteristics, treatment delay and survival.Results. A total of 125 patients were identified. The age-standardized incidence rate for all head and neck cancer cases was 28/100,000 for males and 19/100,000 for females. High incidence rates were found for NPC and oral cancers. Of all cancers, 47% were stage IV at the time of diagnosis, while 61% of all NPC’s were stage IV. The median delay from date of first symptom to treatment was 248 days for all cancers. The overall crude 5-year survival rate for all sites together was 35% and for NPC 20%.Conclusion. Survival of head and neck cancer in Greenland is very low. Delays in treatment and inadequate follow-up on treatment complications are probable causes. The improvements in treatment for NPC and other head and neck cancer cases over the last decades are yet to be seen in this Inuit population.

Surgical management and outcomes of colorectal cancer liver metastases

This population-based study investigated the frequency of hepatic resections for colorectal cancer metastases across England and their outcome. Individuals who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer between January 1998 and June 2004 within the English National Health Service were identified via the National Cancer Data Repository. All episodes of care in the 3 years after the initial operation were examined to determine the frequency of liver resection. Variations in the use of liver resection and survival were assessed. Some 114 155 individuals underwent surgery for colorectal cancer over the study period, of whom 3116 (2.7 per cent) subsequently had one or more hepatic resections. The hepatectomy rate increased from 1.7 per cent in 1998 to 3.8 per cent in 2004. There was significant variation in the rate of liver resection across cancer networks (range 1.1-4.3 per cent) and hospitals (range 0.7-6.8 per cent). The crude 5-year survival rate after liver resection was 44.2 (95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 42.4 to 46.1) per cent from the time of hepatectomy and 45.9 (95 per cent c.i. 44.1 to 47.7) per cent from the time of colectomy. This was comparable to the 5-year survival rate of patients with stage III disease (42.2 (95 per cent c.i. 41.7 to 42.7) per cent). The rate of resection of liver metastases increased over the study period but varied significantly across the country. Patients who underwent liver resection had 5-year survival comparable to that of patients with stage III colorectal cancer.

The effect of donor race on the survival of Black Americans undergoing liver transplantation for chronic hepatitis C

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of donor race on the outcome of black patients with chronic hepatitis C infection who undergo liver transplantation. The records for deceased donor liver transplants that occurred in the United States between January 1998 and December 2007 were obtained from the United Network for Organ Sharing. 26,212 records contained sufficient data to be included in the analysis. Of these, 11,989 (45.7%) records were for patients positive for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and 1292 (4.9%) were for patients both HCV-positive and black. Black recipients with white donors were found to have significantly worse outcomes than all other recipient-donor race combinations (P < 0.001). The crude 5-year survival rate for black recipients who had a black donor was 14% higher than the 5-year survival rate for black recipients who had a white donor. Multivariate regression analysis determined that a graft from a race-unmatched donor was an independent risk factor for graft failure (hazard ratio = 1.41, 95% confidence interval = 1.11-1.79) among HCV-positive black recipients but not among HCV-negative black recipients after adjustments for donor age, recipient age, cold ischemia time, serum creatinine, serum bilirubin, diabetes mellitus, body mass index, and donor cytomegalovirus status. The observation that race-unmatched grafts are a risk factor in HCV-positive black recipients, but not in HCV-negative black recipients, suggests an alteration of the graft-host relationship by HCV. In conclusion, our results suggest that HCV-positive black recipients who undergo liver transplantation can have increased graft survival if their donors are black, with survival rates approaching those of white liver transplant recipients.

Prognosis and Prognostic Factors in Patients With Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Japan Results From a Nationwide Study

There have been few large-scale nationwide studies investigating both the prognosis and the prognostic factors of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC). A predictive score that can be used in clinical practice has not been established. A nationwide epidemiological study of the prognosis of IDC was conducted in 1999 among randomly selected hospitals in Japan, and 147 departments participated in the present 5-year follow-up survey. The vital status of 1,554 IDC patients was collected in 2004 using medical records and residence-based registers. The crude 5-year survival rate for those diagnosed in 1998 was 78.6%. Cox's regression model selected 5 independent predictors of mortality: male sex, higher age, higher New York Heart Association functional class, higher left ventricular diameter index, and lower left ventricular ejection fraction. A predictive score using these 5 variables effectively predicted prognosis; 5-year survival rates were 90.6% in patients with a score of 4 or less and 49.0% in patients with a score of 9 or 10. This nationwide survey revealed the present prognostic status of IDC in Japan and 5 independent predictors of prognosis that can be used in clinical practice as a predictive score.

Cancer of the large bowel in a defined population: Canterbury, New Zealand, 1970–4

A total of 1024 new cases of cancer of the large bowel occurred in Canterbury, New Zealand (population 400,796), in the 5 years 1970--4. Of these, 992 were diagnosed before death and are reviewed in this paper. The high incidence of this disease in New Zealanders of European origin is illustrated. A significant difference in site distribution of primary tumours between the sexes was found, with a female preponderance of cancer of the proximal colon gradually changing to a male preponderance of cancer of the rectum. In all, 61.5 per cent of the patients had lymph node metastases or advanced disease at the time of diagnosis or treatment. Largely as a consequence of this, only 65 per cent were able to have potentially curative treatment. The estimated crude 5-year survival rate of the whole group was 32.7 per cent (relative rate 42.8 per cent) and the crude 5-year survival rate after potentially curative surgery was 48.4 per cent (relative rate 62.4 per cent). The results are compared with those of other authors. They emphasize the generally unsatisfactory outcome of treatment.

Basal cell carcinoma of the anus-a clinical study of 34 cases.

Thirty-four patients with basal cell carcinoma of the anus were treated in Denmark between 1943 and 1974. The tumours were usually between 1 and 2 cm in diameter and localized to the anal margins. Three tumours had a diameter of 10 cm and extended into the anal canal. In one case the tumour had spread to the regional lymph nodes. Modes of treatment were wide local excision (27 patients), abdominoperineal excision of the rectum (4 patients), colostomy combined with radiotherapy (1 patient) and radiotherapy alone (2 patients). Local recurrence was observed in 8 cases. After retreatment (re-excision: 5 patients), excision of the rectum (1 patient) and radiotherapy (2 patients), no recurrences were observed in the follow-up period ( greater than 5 years). The crude 5-year survival rate was 72.6 per cent. The death rate was not higher than in the normal population of the same age and sex and no death was due to the basal cell carcinoma.

The survival of patients with colorectal cancer treated in a regional hospital.

Abstract The survival rate for 301 patients who had a resection for colorectal cancer in Oxford over a 6-year period between 1966 and 1971 has been reviewed. The crude and age-adjusted 5-year survival rates for those who had a resection for cure were 37·3 per cent and 53·8 per cent respectively. The corresponding survival rates for all patients after resection were 25·8 and 37·2 respectively. The most important determinant of survival was the pathological stage of the primary tumour, the agecorrected 5-year survival being 100 per cent for stage A lesions, 58 per cent for stage B, 27·1 for stage C and 5·5 per cent for stage D. Patients who presented with either intestinal obstruction or perforation of their carcinoma had a significantly worse prognosis than those who did not. Patients under 35 years of age did not survive as long as older patients. Those patients who had an anterior resection survived longer than those who underwent colectomy or abdominoperineal resection, probably due to the selection of pathologically favourable cases in the former group. The occurrence of infection in the postoperative period did not influence survival. Thus, in general, patients with colorectal cancer have a poor 5-year survival (with the exception of stage A lesions), and this indicates the need for development of effective adjuvant therapy after surgery for this disease.

Recurrent head and neck cancer: the results of treatment.

Abstract A study of 144 patients with cancer of the head and neck showed that 67 (46 per cent) developed recurrent cancer. Radical second treatment, almost exclusively by surgery, secured an 11 out of 67 or 16 per cent crude 5-year survival rate for recurrent head and neck cancer. Further analysis showed that the prospects of successful second treatment were negligible or nil with certain identifiable tumours or tumour sites. When these identifiable cases are excluded the survival rate for head and neck cancer became 11 out of 45 or 24 per cent. Age and general condition rendered some patients unfit for radical surgery. In this series 30 patients were treated by radical surgery with a patients cured: patients surgically treated ratio of 11 out of 30 or 36 per cent.

Survival following microscopically confirmed radical resection of N0 gastric cancer.

In a series of 128 patients operated on for gastric cancer, 27 satisfied microscopic criteria for radical resection. The median age of these patients was 72.3 (range 36-84) years at operation; the median hospital stay after surgery was 12.9 days. The median observation time was 3.8 years and the crude 5-year survival rate 48 per cent. Older patients did remarkably well. No significant difference was found in the number of survivors, survival-observation time or hospital stay in the age groups 55-64, 65-74 or 75-84 years. Thus, age alone should not be considered a barrier to curative surgical treatment. When the study was ended, 12 of the 27 patients who underwent microscopically confirmed radical resection were still alive; six had died from recurrent gastric cancer and nine from other causes. At 5 years after microscopically confirmed radical resection for gastric carcinoma, the gastric cancer-specific mortality rate was 23 per cent.

Survival and prognostic factors in patients with ovarian cancer

Objective To assess incidence during a 10-year study period and to identify and discuss clinical relevance for prognostic factors of survival within a cohort of Norwegian ovarian cancer patients. Methods Incidence and prognostic factors of survival within a population-based cohort of ovarian cancer patients from one health region in Norway were examined over the 10-year period 1987 through 1996. A total of 571 histologically verified cases of primary ovarian cancer originally registered either in the Cancer Registry of Norway or in the hospital’s discharge registers were included in the study. Pearson χ 2 test was used in univariate analyses of cofactors by 5-year survival, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were computed and tested statistically by the log rank test. A multivariable proportional hazard model (Cox) was applied to assess the prognostic significance of the different covariates. Results The incidence and crude 5-year survival remained stable over the 10-year study period. The standardized incidence rate for the time periods 1987–1991 and 1992–1996 was 11.9/100,000 and 12.5/100,000, respectively. The crude 5-year survival rate for the cohort was 39%, whereas median survival was 32 months. Cox multivariable regression analysis showed that the only independent significant prognostic factors were International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage ( P < .001), size of residual tumor at the end of primary surgery ( P < .001), and age at diagnosis ( P < .01). Variables such as time period, histologic type and grade, treating hospital, comorbidity, or CA 125 were insignificant in predicting 5-year survival. Conclusion The results underline the importance of improved surgical management of ovarian cancer, as residual tumor is the only prognostic factor achievable.

Survival and Prognostic Factors in Patients With Ovarian Cancer

In Brief OBJECTIVE To assess incidence during a 10-year study period and to identify and discuss clinical relevance for prognostic factors of survival within a cohort of Norwegian ovarian cancer patients. METHODS Incidence and prognostic factors of survival within a population-based cohort of ovarian cancer patients from one health region in Norway were examined over the 10-year period 1987 through 1996. A total of 571 histologically verified cases of primary ovarian cancer originally registered either in the Cancer Registry of Norway or in the hospital's discharge registers were included in the study. Pearson χ2 test was used in univariate analyses of cofactors by 5-year survival, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were computed and tested statistically by the log rank test. A multivariable proportional hazard model (Cox) was applied to assess the prognostic significance of the different covariates. RESULTS The incidence and crude 5-year survival remained stable over the 10-year study period. The standardized incidence rate for the time periods 1987–1991 and 1992–1996 was 11.9/100,000 and 12.5/100,000, respectively. The crude 5-year survival rate for the cohort was 39%, whereas median survival was 32 months. Cox multivariable regression analysis showed that the only independent significant prognostic factors were International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage (P < .001), size of residual tumor at the end of primary surgery (P < .001), and age at diagnosis (P < .01). Variables such as time period, histologic type and grade, treating hospital, comorbidity, or CA 125 were insignificant in predicting 5-year survival. CONCLUSION The results underline the importance of improved surgical management of ovarian cancer, as residual tumor is the only prognostic factor achievable. International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, size of residual tumor at the end of primary surgery, and age at diagnosis were the only independent prognostic factors of survival in ovarian cancer patients.

Salvage abdominoperineal resection in anal epidermoid cancer.

In the management of isolated locoregional failure after (chemo)radiation therapy for anal epidermoid cancer, salvage abdominoperineal resection (APR) is the treatment of choice. The results of a 15-year consecutive population-based series are reviewed. Details of all patients with anal epidermoid cancer treated from 1985 to 2000 in the Stockholm Health Care Region were recorded prospectively. Among 308 patients with biopsy-proven anal epidermoid cancer, there have been 39 isolated locoregional failures after sphincter-preserving therapy. Thirty-five patients have undergone salvage APR. The medical records of these 35 patients were reviewed retrospectively with regard to surgical and oncological results. There were no postoperative deaths. There was considerable morbidity related to the perineal wound, with postoperative perineal infections in 13 patients and delayed healing beyond 3 months in 23 patients. Complications unrelated to the perineal wound were found in 13 patients. The crude 5-year survival rate for the 35 patients was 52 per cent (median follow-up 33 months). Patients with persistent disease fared significantly worse than those with locoregional recurrence (crude 5-year survival rate 33 versus 82 per cent; P < 0.05, log rank test). Salvage APR in anal epidermoid cancer is associated with a high complication rate but may result in long-term survival.

Evaluation of treatment for synchronous hepatic metastases from gastric cancer with special reference to long-term survivors.

The purpose of this study was to determine the most effective means of treating liver metastases from gastric cancer. We retrospectively examined 43 patients with liver metastases, but without peritoneal dissemination, who had received different forms of treatment. The crude 5-year survival rates of patients who underwent gastrectomy with complete hepatectomy (curative gastrectomy), noncurative gastrectomy, and no gastrectomy were 33.3%, 3.7%, and 0%, respectively. The curative gastrectomy group showed the highest survival rate (not significant). The median survival of patients given hepatic artery infusion (HAI), systemic chemotherapy, and no chemotherapy were 353, 189, and 61 days, respectively. The patients given chemotherapy survived significantly longer than those not given chemotherapy. Three patients survived for more than 5 years without any signs of recurrence. The long-term survivors all had primary lesions without serosal invasion (T2) and no other noncurative factors. Two patients underwent curative gastrectomy and one underwent noncurative gastrectomy. All were given postoperative chemotherapy; as HAI in two cases, and as systemic chemotherapy in one case. These findings suggest that curative gastrectomy combined with HAI or systemic chemotherapy should be attempted for patients with primary tumors without serosal invasion or any other noncurative factors.

Improved Survival in Small Pancreatic Cancer

Background: Although the incidence of pancreatic cancer is relatively low compared with other tumors (2.4%), the death rate is high. Tumor detection and treatment at an early stage is necessary to improve the poor prognosis of patients, as is demonstrated by some reports showing a 5-year survival rate varying between 19 and 41% for patients undergoing radical pancreatectomy with the highest survival in patients with small tumors. Methods: In our study we retrospectively reviewed the histologic and demographic data of 596 patients who were admitted to the surgical units of the Careggi Hospital (University of Florence-AOC of Florence) between 1988 and 1994 with the incoming diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Results: Results are reported as the mean ± standard deviation. The postoperative survival rate was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and statistical analysis was performed by the log rank test (significance p < 0.05). 247 patients had surgery, 110 with a curative intent. Postoperative mortality was 5.45%. The crude 5-year survival rate for patients who underwent curative surgery was 16.36% (18 patients), but for patients with small lesions confined to the pancreas (T1N0M0, 29 patients) this was even 31.03% (9 patients; p < 0.01, χ² test). Conclusions: Our results indicate that it seems reasonable to consider these cancers as ‘small’, with survival reported in literature from 35 to 41%, so they probably represent the only curable condition at the present time.

Surgical treatment of gastrointestinal carcinomas in octogenarians: risk factors for complications and long-term outcome

Background The aims of this retrospective study were to determine the factors predictive of morbidity and mortality, and to evaluate the probability of long-term survival in octogenarians with carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract. Patients and Methods Out of a total of 194 patients, aged 80 years or over, with histologically diagnosed carcinoma of the stomach or colon–rectum, observed between 1987 and 1995, 167 underwent surgery and were included in this study. The relationship between a series of clinico–pathological variables and morbidity/mortality rates was investigated by univariate and multivariate analysis. Complete follow-up data were available in 161 patients. Results Fifty-nine patients (35.3%) experienced complications and 14 (8.4%) died during hospitalization. Statistical analysis identified hypoalbuminaemia (P<0.01, relative risk (RR)=2.92) and hypercreatininaemia (P<0.05, RR=3.59) as independent predictors of post-operative complications. Hypercreatininaemia (P<0.05, RR=5.22) and non-curative surgery (P<0.05, RR=3.99) significantly affected operative mortality. Crude 5-year survival rate, including operative mortality after curative surgery, was 41% in gastric cancer and 39% in colorectal cancer patients. Conclusion These results indicate that surgery for gastrointestinal carcinomas yields an acceptable operative risk in octogenarians, and provides good long-term results if oncological radicality can be obtained. Pre-operative evaluation of tumour stage and patient's general condition is useful to identify subgroups of patients at high risk of surgical complications and mortality.