Population aging results in increasing numbers of elderly persons undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer. We sought to identify objective preoperative indicators of outcomes, with a view toward development of safe, effective treatments for such patients.

The study included 99 patients aged 80 years or more, who were treated surgically for stage I- III colorectal cancer. Preoperative nutritional status was compared retrospectively between those who suffered postoperative complications (n=40) and those who did not (n=59).

Univariate analysis revealed low prealbumin (PreAlb) concentration (p=0.032) and low platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (p=0.116) as risk factors for postoperative complications. Multivariate analysis showed preoperative PreAlb concentration to be an independent risk factor (OR=0.884; 95% confidence interval=0.791-0.989; p=0.024) associated with postoperative length of hospital stay (coef.=-0.336, p=0.002).

PreAlb, a rapid turnover protein, shows promise as a simple predictor of postoperative complications in elderly patients treated for colorectal surgery.