The Advisability of Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy of Rectal Cancer in Geriatric Patients

A comparative analysis of the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in colorectal- cancer patients older and younger than 60 years was performed. It has been determined that the risk of complications of neoadjuvant CRT, as well as the degree of its adverse effect on the outcomes of subsequent surgical treatment, does not significantly depend on the age of the patients. However, the application of preoperative CRT in geriatric patients is associated with a less significant increase in disease-free survival compared with younger patients. Thus, the factor of age should not restrict the use of neoadjuvant CRT in patients with satisfactory general somatic status and the absence of severe complications of the tumor process.