| Popis: |
In our department, located in Awaji-island in the midst of an aging district, 760 patients operated on for gastric cancer during the recent 11 years included many aged people; i.e. over 70 years of age 31.4%, and over 80 years of age 5.5%. With an increase in age, patients tend to have more preoperative complications, as shown in the following figures: 12.1% in patients under 70; 65.3% in patients in their 70s; and 71.4% in those of 80 and over. There was a significant difference between the two age groups of under 70, and 70 and over. Postoperative complications developed in 19.8% of the age group under 70; in 20.9% of that of the 70s; and in 50.0% of that of 80 and over, showing a significant difference between the two groups bordering on the age of 80. Compared to the patient group under 80, aged patients of 80 and over had poorer surgical results in the mortality rate during hospitalization, and a significantly prolonged hospital stay. Moreover, from an analysis of data for the recent 3 years, our guideline to employ an active attitude for surgery of advanced gastric cancer in aged patients was highly successful in patients in their 70s but was clearly unsuccessful in those in their 80s and over, compared with former results prior to our guideline. These findings indicate that in operation for gastric cancer patients of 80 years of age and over, should be termed as "the aged". |
