Influence of Old Age on Risk of Lymph Node Metastasis and Survival in Patients With T1 Colorectal Cancer: A Population-Based Analysis

BackgroundWe aimed at determining the influence of old age on lymph node metastasis (LNM) and prognosis in T1 colorectal cancer (CRC).MethodsWe collected data from eligible patients in Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database between 2004 and 2015. Independent predictors of LNM were identified by logistic regression analysis. Cox regression analysis, propensity score-matched analysis, and competing risks analysis were used to analyze the associations between old age and lymph node (LN) status and to validate the prognostic value of old age on cancer-specific survival (CSS).ResultsIn total, 10,092 patients were identified. Among them, 6,423 patients (63.6%) had greater than or equal to 12 examined lymph nodes (LNE ≥12), and 5,777 patients (57.7%) were 65 years or older. The observed rate of LNM was 4.6% (15 out of 325) in T1 CRC elderly patients, with tumor size