Colorectal Cancer in the Elderly, 2013

As the population ages, clinicians are facing an increasing number of elderly patients with colorectal cancer. These patients pose unique challenges as they have more comorbidities and lower functional reserves. In addition, the treatment goals may differ from those in younger patients. This book discusses in depth the different aspects of management of colorectal cancer in the elderly. After the provision of pertinent background information on the normal physiology of aging, screening and diagnosis are discussed. Subsequent chapters focus on a range of issues associated with the surgical and perioperative care of these patients and with adjuvant treatment and palliative care. Each chapter provides helpful take-home messages in bullet point form, and numerous informative figures and tables are also included. The authors are surgeons, physicians, anesthetists, geriatricians, oncologists, and allied health professionals with extensive experience in the field.

The normal physiology of ageing.- Screening, diagnosis and investigations for colorectal cancer in the elderly.- Risk stratification for surgery.- Rationalizing and managing comorbidities for the surgical treatment of colorectal cancer.- Surgical considerations prior to surgery Psychosocial considerations prior to surgery.- Prehabilitation.- Transdisciplinary care for elderly surgery patients.- Perioperative nutrition for elderly surgical patients.- Anaesthesia and intraoperative care of elderly surgery patients.- Minimally invasive surgery in elderly patients.- Postoperative care.- Nursing care of elderly surgical patients.- Returning to premorbid function.- Managing urinary and bowel dysfunction after colorectal surgery.- Adjuvant treatment of colorectal cancer for the elderly.- KIV: Alternative medicine in care of elderly with colorectal cancer.- Palliative care for the elderly with  colorectal cancer.