Objective: To assess feasibility and safety of performing laparoscopic-assisted radical resection (LARR) for rectal cancer in elderly patients. Methods: The clinical data of 226 rectal cancer patients undergoing LARR in the Department of General Surgery of Anhui Provincial Hospital from January 2014 to January 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided according to age, into elderly group (≥70 years of age) and non-elderly group (<70 years of age). Forty-six patients in each group were selected using propensity score matching, and then, the clinical variables between the two groups were statistically analyzed. Results: The mean age was 76.3 and 59.1 years in elderly group and non-elderly group, respectively. The baseline data that included gender, preoperative concomitant disease and ASA grade showed no significant difference between the two groups (all P>0.05). The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, surgical procedures, tumor size, number of harvested lymph nodes, TNM stage, time to liquid diet and length of postoperative hospital stay, all showed no significant difference between the two groups (all P>0.05). No death occurred in either of the groups. In elderly group and non-elderly group, the differences concerning the incidence of postoperative complications (22% vs. 15%) and incidence of infection-related complications (15% vs. 7%) also showed no significant difference (both P>0.05). Conclusion: LARR for rectal cancer is safe and feasible in elderly patients and, compared with non-elderly patients, does not increase the incidence of postoperative complications.