Liver resection should not be precluded for patients ≥80 years with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), according to research from the Department of Hepatico-pancreatico-biliary and Transplant Surgery at St James's University Hospital NHS Trust in Leeds.
The study retrospectively reviewed all patients (n=200) undergoing liver resections for HCC at St James’s University Hospital, Leeds between 2005 and 2015.
Nineteen patients were ≥80 years and 181 were <80 years.
Comorbidities measured by the Charlson Comorbidity Index were significantly higher in the ≥80 group (P<.0001).
There was no significant difference in morbidity and mortality between the <80 years and the ≥80 years group (morbidity, 27% vs 16%; P=.29 and mortality, 7% vs 0%; P=.11).
The one-year (83.4% vs 88.2%; P=.83), five-year (56.3% vs 55.8%; P=.83) and overall survival rate rates (887 days vs 1035 days; P=.66) did not differ significantly.
The authors concluded that liver resection should not be precluded based on age alone. They said good outcomes in patients ≥80 years justify the surgery.
