Higher prevalence in young population and rightward shift of colorectal carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To report the pattern, subsite distribution and histological features of colorectal cancer in a University Hospital in Riyadh.

METHODS: The study was carried out in King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where the medical records of patients diagnosed to have colorectal carcinoma were retrieved spanning a 5-year period from 1999 through 2004. The demographic data, primary location and extent of the lesion, and various pathologic characteristics were analyzed.

RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients with colorectal carcinoma were included; 45 men and 12 women, age range 21-76 years (mean 44 years). Thirty-six (63%) subjects were found to be younger than 40 years, whereas 33 (57.8%) cases had right sided and 24 (42.2%) left sided colon cancers. Eighteen (31.5%) patients presented with early (I, II) and 39 (68.5%) with late (III, IV) stage. Dukes B and C were reported in 53 (92.9%) patients and out of those, 30 cases presented with right sided colonic carcinoma.

CONCLUSION: There is a profound rightward shift of colorectal carcinoma compounded with a rising incidence of advanced lesions in younger age group.