Prognostic factors and hazard ratios in colorectal cancer patients over 80 years of age: a retrospective, 20-year, single institution review.

Background: An aging population and a high incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients over the age of 80 make it important to understand survival times, hazard ratios and prognostic factors in this group. A better understanding of these factors will help clinicians determine appropriate therapeutic strategies for such patients, including when more aggressive treatment strategies may be preferred to palliative treatment.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 619 CRC patients of ≥80 years of age from 1991-2010 at Baylor Scott & White Hospital in Temple, Texas.