Benefits of minimally-invasive surgery for sigmoid and rectal cancer in older adults compared with younger adults: Do older adults have the most to gain?

Abstract

INTRODUCTION\nRandomized trials demonstrated oncologic safety and short-term benefits of laparoscopy. We investigated if the benefit of laparoscopy on short-term outcomes is greater for older adults compared with younger adults.\n\n\nMETHODS\nWe identified all older (≥70\u202fyears old) and younger (<70) adults with primary sigmoid and rectal cancer treated with resection between 2002 and 2018 from an institutional database. We compared 30-day postoperative outcomes using multivariable logistic regression with an interaction term between age group and surgical approach. Primary outcomes were death, major (Clavien-Dindo III-IV) and minor (Clavien-Dindo I-II) complications, and wound complications.\n\n\nRESULTS\nWe included 792 patients, 293 (37%) older and 499 (63%) younger. Use of laparoscopy was similar between age groups: 120/293 (41%) older, 204/499 (41%) younger (p\u202f=\u202f.98). All patients had 30-day follow-up. Compared with open resection, minimally-invasive resection was associated with a greater reduction in deaths in older adults than in younger adults (absolute difference in older adults 7.0% less versus 2.1% less in younger adults; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] older 3.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.31-7.33; aOR younger 0.31, 95% CI 0.05-1.24; interaction p\u202f=\u202f.01). Similarly, minimally-invasive resection was associated with a greater reduction in major complications in older adults than in younger adults (absolute difference in older adults 6.4% less versus 2.4% less in younger adults; aOR older 1.91, 95% CI 1.07-3.41; aOR younger 0.70, 95% CI 0.34-1.38; interaction p =\u202f.03).\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nMinimally-invasive compared with open surgery demonstrated a differential benefit on postoperative death and major complications between younger and older adults.