Radical hysterectomy in the elderly

BACKGROUND: The considerable increase in life expectancy on one hand and an increase in cervical cancer among Iranian patients on the other, brings out the importance of investigating whether radical surgery can be performed safely and effectively on patients above 60 years of age. METHODS: In a study of historical cohort, all 22 patients 60 years and above who have undergone a Wertheim radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer from 1999 to 2005 were compared with 128 matched cases under 60 years of age who had undergone a Wertheim hysterectomy during the same calendar year. All patients were analyzed for preexisting medical comorbidities, length of postoperative stay, morbidity, and postoperative mortality. RESULTS: There was no operative mortality in either group, morbidity (minor, p = 0.91; major, p = 0.89) were statistically not different in the two groups despite the patient's above 60 years having significantly higher comorbidity prior to surgery than the younger cohort (minor, P < 0.05; major, P < 0.05). The mean postoperative hospital stay was significantly longer in the older patients (5 days vs. 3 days, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Wertheim Radical hysterectomy is a safe surgical procedure in the selected population of patients 60 years and over. No differences in operative mortality or morbidity were found when compared to a cohort of patient's aged 60 years or younger.