Treatment and survival of rectal cancer patients over the age of 80 years: a EURECCA international comparison.

Background: The optimal treatment strategy for older rectal cancer patients remains unclear. The current study aimed to compare treatment and survival of rectal cancer patients aged 80+.

Methods: Patients of ≥80 years diagnosed with rectal cancer between 2001 and 2010 were included.

Treatment and Survival of Patients with Colon Cancer Aged 80 Years and Older: A EURECCA International Comparison.

Background: Colon cancer in older patients represents a major public health issue. As older patients are hardly included in clinical trials, the optimal treatment of these patients remains unclear. The present international EURECCA comparison explores possible associations between treatment and survival outcomes in elderly colon cancer patients.

Review of the quality of total mesorectal excision does not improve the prediction of outcome.

Aim: A fair to moderate concordance in grading of the total mesorectal excision (TME) surgical specimen by local pathologists and a central review panel has been observed in the PROCARE (Project on Cancer of the Rectum) project. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the difference, if any, in the accuracy of predicting the oncological outcome through TME grading by local pathologists or by the review panel.

Method: The quality of the TME specimen was reviewed for 482 surgical specimens registered on a prospective database between 2006 and 2011.

Survival among clinical stage I-III rectal cancer patients treated with different preoperative treatments: A population-based comparison.

Background: Radical resection is regarded as the cornerstone of rectal cancer treatment. Preoperative (chemo)radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy are often administered. This population-based study compares the survival in clinical stage I-III rectal cancer patients who received either preoperative radiotherapy, preoperative chemoradiotherapy or no preoperative therapy.

Completeness and registration bias in PROCARE, a Belgian multidisciplinary project on cancer of the rectum with participation on a voluntary basis.

Background: PROCARE, a Belgian multidisciplinary project on rectal cancer, started in 2006 with participation on a voluntary basis. Completeness and bias of registration in PROCARE were assessed.

Methods: Data from 6353 patients with rectal cancer were extracted from the population based Belgian Cancer Registry for the period 2006-2008.