Presentation, Molecular Characteristics, Treatment, and Outcomes of Colorectal Cancer in Patients Older than 80 Years Old

Background: An increasing proportion of the population of patients with cancer presents at an advanced age, increasing the challenges of successful and well-tolerated treatments. In the older spectrum of the geriatric cancer patients, those older than 80 years old, challenges are even higher because of increasing comorbidities and decreasing organ function reserves. Methods: Studies regarding colorectal cancer presentation, treatment, and prognosis in patients older than 80 years old available in the literature were evaluated and were compiled within a narrative review. Molecular attributes of colorectal cancer in the subset of patients older than 80 years old in published genomic cohorts were also reviewed and were compared with similar attributes in younger patients. Results: Characteristics of colorectal cancer in octogenarians are in many aspects similar to younger patients, but patients older than 80 years old present more often with right colon cancers. Surgical treatment of colorectal cancer in selected patients over 80 years old is feasible and should be pursued. Adjuvant chemotherapy is under-utilized in this population. Although combination chemotherapy is in most cases not advisable, monotherapy with fluoropyrimidine derivatives is feasible and efficacious. Conclusions: Outcomes of colorectal cancer patients over the age of 80 years old may be optimized with a combination of standard treatments adjusted to the individual patient’s functional status and organ reserves. Increased support for the older age group during their colorectal cancer treatment modalities would improve oncologic outcomes with decreasing adverse outcomes of therapies.