Frailty, postoperative complications and mortality following major surgical resection for colorectal cancer

Project reference number: 0085 

Principal investigator: Simon Howell 

Plain language summary: In the UK, the number of people diagnosed with bowel cancer increases with age. 

Frailty is a term used to describe a particular state of health and is something most often experienced by older people. Frailty is linked to worse outcomes from cancer. Some studies have suggested that both frailty and old age are linked to a higher chance of having complications after surgery (known as post-operative complications). Previous studies looking at outcomes for patients following major bowel cancer surgery have split post-operative complications into two groups – surgical complications and non-surgical complications. 

The aim of this study is to examine the link between frailty and complications after surgery for bowel cancer.