Comparison of outcome of POSSUM, p-POSSUM, and cr-POSSUM scoring after elective resection of the sigmoid colon for carcinoma or complicated diverticular disease.

OBJECTIVE: To compare POSSUM, p-POSSUM, and cr-POSSUM-predicted mortalities with the observed postoperative mortality in patients undergoing elective sigmoid colectomy for diverticular disease (n=121) or carcinoma (n=120). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The physiologic and operative severity score for the enumeration of mortality and morbidity (POSSUM) was used to identify patient- or disease-related risk factors and to calculate expected mortalities. RESULTS: Patients with carcinoma had significantly higher POSSUM scores, but the observed mortality (1.7%) was lower than that in the diverticular disease group (3.3%). In the carcinoma group, mortality was over-predicted by all the POSSUM systems. In diverticular disease, POSSUM over-predicted mortality while p-POSSUM and cr-POSSUM under-predicted mortality. In the whole group, POSSUM over-predicted mortality. P-POSSUM and cr-POSSUM predicted mortality accurately: observed:expected (O:E) ratio 0.83. Replacing the score for malignancy with a minimum score of 1 gave overall O:E ratios of 0.37 (POSSUM), 1.04 (p-POSSUM), and 0.93 (cr-POSSUM). CONCLUSIONS: In a group of patients who underwent elective resection of the sigmoid colon for carcinoma or diverticular disease, postoperative mortality was predicted accurately by p-Possum and cr-POSSUM, especially when used without a score for malignancy. None of the POSSUM scores were predictive of disease-specific mortality.

POSSUM predicts decreased overall survival in curative resection for colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: Poor condition at operation determined by the physiologic POSSUM score is related to postoperative mortality and morbidity of colorectal cancer surgery. This study was designed to analyze the relationship between condition of patients with colorectal cancer at operation and long-term overall survival. METHODS: A total of 542 patients survived a radical resection for Stages I, II, or III colorectal cancer. Physiologic POSSUM score at surgery, exclusive of age, was calculated for all patients. Mean physiologic POSSUM score was used as cutoff point to determine low-risk and high-risk group patients. A Cox proportional hazard analysis was performed to study the effect of low-risk and high-risk group on overall survival and to identify independent risk factors. RESULTS: Five-year overall survival was significantly higher in low-risk group patients than in high-risk group patients (low-risk group 66.6 percent vs. high-risk group 48.5 percent; P < 0.001). Differences in overall survival also were found when patients in Stages I, II, and III were analyzed separately. Risk factors for overall survival were advanced stage of disease, poor tumor differentiation, mucinous adenocarcinoma, older than age 70 years, and poor condition of the patient at time of operation. CONCLUSIONS: Poor condition at operation, as determined by physiologic POSSUM score, is a risk indicator for long-term overall survival in colorectal cancer patients.