Survival rates and prognostic factors for sporadic colorectal cancer in young patients

This study investigated the survival rates and prognostic factors (future course of the cancer) for sporadic (occurs in people with no cancer family history) colorectal cancer in young patients. Researchers reported that young patients had more aggressive cancers and shorter survival rates.

Colorectal cancer is more common in patients with 50 to 70 years old. However, the age of colorectal cancer diagnosis in patients is getting younger. Prior studies described that younger patients have advanced cancers at diagnosis (spread to other parts of the body). However, these studies have some limitations. These studies do not exclude hereditary cancer (patients with colorectal cancer family history). 

The objective of this study was to evaluate the survival rates and prognostic factors of sporadic colorectal cancer in young patients.

This study included information on 8207 colorectal cancer patients who underwent surgery. Patients were divided in two groups based on age. Young patients were 45 years old or less and older patients were 56 to 65 years old. Survival rates were measured from the date of surgery to the date of death. Patients were followed for an average of 66 months. The majority of young patients had symptoms like rectal bleeding and abdominal pain.

The 5-year survival was 81.2% in young patients and 87.8% in the older group. Survival rates of patients with stage 3 and 4 cancer were higher in the older patients group. Recurrence rates were higher in younger patients with early stage colorectal cancer (8.8%) compared to older patients with early stage disease (2.7%). 

In younger patients, more aggressive cancer cells were associated with 2.3 times the risk of shorter survival. A delay in diagnosis of more than 3 months was associated with 2.57 times the risk of shorter survival.

This study showed that sporadic colorectal cancer in younger patients is often more aggressive and the patients have worse survival rates. Early detection and surveillance for recurrance is important.