The cdcrectal carcincma incidence increases with age. The radical resecticn proceduře signiflcantly extends the survival period, when ccmpared with ether therapeutic appreaches. The tissue damage may exceed the organ reservě capacity in cases tf the elderly patients and may result in higher pesteperative morbidity and mortality rates. The aim rfthis study was tocempare the results and the surgical risks tf the large intestine carcincma resecticn proceduře in elderly patients, ccmpared toycunger patients with the samé diagnesis. The patientgroup and Methodology: The retrespective study summens up the clinical results tf 3778 patients frem all cver the Czech Republic, whounderwent primecperatiens for the fdlcwing diagneses: C18 - a malignant necplasm tf the large intestine, and C19 — a malignant necplasm tf the rectcsigmddeal juncticn, in 2001. The results are ccmpared with cur cwn patient greup in the samé time-period. The results were assessed aceerding tothe fdlcwing age-greup eriteria: 21-59 yrs., 60-69 yrs. and cver 70 yrs. tf age. We assessed the fdkwing facters: age, diagnesis, incidence tf early pesteperative ccmplicaticns and duraticn tf patients hespitalizaticn. Results: The patients in the 21-59 year-grcup and in the greup cver 70 years tf age, had signiflcantly difřerent rates tf early pesteperative ccmplicaticns (12.3% vs 17.6%, p < 0.001). The rate tf ccmplicaticns was twice as high in urgent procedures ccmpared toplanned procedures in all age greups (p < 0.001). The average hcspitalizatiai lasted 14.8 ± 10.9 days. We disco/ered statistically signiťicant differences in the duratiai tf hcspitalizatiai amaig all three age graips respectively (p < 0.01.) Conclusion: Based ai air results, we believe the age itself nct be an indicatiai- limiting factcr fa" the radical resectiai proceduře fcr the large intestine carcinana. The elderly patients benefit fran its aicdcgical radicality with acceptable rates rf the pcstoperative canplicatiais risks. We believe even extensive surgical procedures to be feasible in cases rf apprcpriately indicated elderly patients, and their surgical risks tobě acceptable caisidering the expected benefits fa- the respective patient.

        Key words: carcinana - the large intestine - resectiai - age