Feasibility and safety of lateral pelvic lymph node dissection for elderly patients with middle-low rectal cancer: results of a large multicenter lateral node collaborative group study in China

Background: Lateral pelvic lymph node (LPN) dissection can improve local control in certain rectal cancer patients with LPN metastasis. However, the effects of this technically complex procedure on perioperative safety and long-term survival of elderly patients (≥ 70 years) remain unclear.

Methods: Locally advanced middle-low rectal cancer patients diagnosed with LPN metastasis who underwent total mesorectal excision (TME) with LPN dissection at three institutions from January 2012 to December 2019 were included in this study. Additionally patients who had neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) and those who did not were compared.

Results: In total there were 407 patients, including 49 elderly and 358 non-elderly patients, of which 249 were male, with a median age of 58 years (range:18-85 years). In the whole cohort, operation time (280.7 vs. 292.0 min, p = 0.498) and estimated blood loss (100 vs. 100 ml, p = 0.384) were comparable in the elderly and non-elderly groups. There was no significant difference in the incidences of overall complications (24.5% vs. 19.8%, p = 0.448) and severe (Clavien-Dindo grade 3-5) surgical complications (8.2% vs. 7.5%, p = 0.778) between the two groups. However, the incidence of urinary retention (14.3% vs. 5.6%, p = 0.032) and intensive care unit admission (16.3% vs. 6.1%, p = 0.018) was significantly higher in the elderly group compared with those in the non-elderly group. The 3-year overall survival (88.7% vs. 82.1%, p = 0.516) and disease-free survival (81.2% vs. 70.7%, p = 0.352) were comparable between the two groups. Moreover, results in the nCRT cohort were comparable to those in the overall cohort.

Conclusions: Even with nCRT, TME combined with LPN dissection is safe and feasible for elderly patients, demonstrating low mortality and acceptable morbidity. Elderly and non-elderly patients with LPN metastasis who undergo LPN dissection can achieve comparable 3-year survival outcomes.

Trail registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04850027.