Objective To evaluate the feasibility, safety and clinical outcome of laparoscopic radical resection of rectal cancer in elderly patients with common chronic comorbidities. Methods The clinical data of 192 elderly patients with rectal cancer and common chronic comorbidities who were admitted to the Nanfang Hospital from January 2003 to December 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were divided into laparoscope group (n=91) and open group (n = 101). The operative procedures, clinicopathological data and outcomes of the two groups were collected and compared. All data were analyzed using the t test and chi-square test, and the survival of patients was analyzed using the life table and Kaplan-Meier curves. Results The sphincter preservation rate,operation time, postoperative length of hospital stay, morbidity rate were 85.7% (78/91), (194 ± 61) minutes,(14 ±8)days, 24.2% (22/91) in the laparoscope group, and they were 85.1% (86/101), (187 ±58) minutes,(14 ±8)days and 28.7% (29/101) in the open group, with no significant difference between the two groups (x2=0.012, t=0.874,-0.265, x2 =0. 505 , P ＞ 0. 05) . The intraoperative blood loss was (108 ±78)ml in the laparoscope group, which was significantly less than (270 ± 600) ml in the open group (t =-2. 650, P ＜0.05). The time to first flatus, time to liquid diet, time to out-of-bed activity were (3 ± 1) days, (4 ± 2) days and (3 ± 1)days, which were significantly shorter than (4 ± 1)days, (5 ± 2)days and (5 ± 1)days in the open group,respectively (t =-4. 545,-4. 587,-13. 310, P ＜ 0.05). The length of rectum resected and the number of lymph node dissected were (18 ± 5)cm and 9 ± 7 in the laparoscope group, and (18 ± 5)cm and 9 ± 8 in the open group, respectively, with no significant difference between the two groups (t = 1. 457, 0. 021, P ＞ 0.05), while the distance of distal resection margin to the tumors was (3.8 ± 1.5) cm, which was significantly longer than (3.1 ± 1.5) cm of the open group (t = 0. 283, P ＜ 0. 05). The 3-year cumulative survival rate, overall recurrence rate, local recurrence rate and distal metastasis rate in the laparoscope group were 76%, 12. 1% (11/91), 2.2% (2/91) and 9.9% (9/91), and they were 82%, 14.9% (15/101), 6.9% (7/101), 7.9% (8/101) in the open group, respectively, with no significant difference between the two groups (U=2. 600, x2 =0. 312, 2.400,0. 230, P ＞ 0.05). There were no significant difference in the cumulative survival rate between patients in TNM stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ in the two groups (P ＞ 0.05). Conclusion Laparoscopic radical resection of rectal cancer is safe and feasible for elderly patients with common chronic comorbidities, and it has the advantages in quick recovery of patients after operaion.

OBJECTIVETo compare the long-term oncological outcomes of laparoscopic and open resection of rectal cancers.

METHODSBetween January, 2003 and December, 2008, 514 patients with rectal cancer were admitted in our hospital, among whom 186 underwent laparoscopic tumor resection and 238 received open radical resection of the tumors. The long-term survival of the patients and the recurrence pattern were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe median follow-up of the patients was 48.54∓28.76 months. No significant differences were found between the two groups in the local recurrence rate (3.9% vs 5.5%, P=0.284), 5-year overall survival (69.4% vs 61.3%, P=0.067), or the 5-year disease-free survival rates (67.7% vs 60.7%, P=0.110). Both the 5-year overall survival and progression-free survival of the patients in stage IV were better in the laparoscopic group than in the open surgery group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONLaparoscopic resection of rectal cancer can achieve long-term oncological outcomes comparable to those of conventional open surgery.

Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome