The purpose of this perspective study was to evaluate which prognostic factors predict long-term survival and disease-free survival (DFS) of elderly patients (> or = 65 years) who underwent surgery for colorectal carcinoma. Between January 1992 and December 1998, 196 colorectal cancer patients > or = 65 years (114 M; 82 F; mean age: 75 years; range: 65-92) underwent surgery. One hundred forty-five (74%) of them underwent curative surgery and emergency surgery was more common in patients > or = 75 years of age than among those younger than 75 years (39% vs 23%; p = 0.01). The overall peroperative mortality rate was 3% (n = 6). The median length of hospital stay was 18 days (range: 3-86 days). By univariate analysis, intraoperative bleeding (> or = 500 cc; p = 0.002), length of surgery (> or = 240 min.; p = 0.004), and rectal cancer (p = 0.0001) were associated with complications. By multivariate analysis, only rectal cancer (p = 0.002) was associated with complications. The overall 1, 3-, and 5-year survival rate and DFS rate were 97%, 82%, 74%, and 86%, 64% and 60% respectively. Using multivariate analysis only tumour stage (p < 0.0001) and peroperative blood transfusions (> or = 500 cc; p = 0.006) were associated with outcome. Treatment decisions in elderly patients with colorectal carcinoma should not be influenced by the chronologic age of the patient.