Epidemiological, Clinico-Pathological Profile and Management of Colorectal Carcinoma in a Tertiary Referral Center of Eastern India

Background: The colorectal carcinoma is acommon cancer in males and in females and second most common cause of death in Europe and third commonest cause in the United States.Recent Indian study shows that there is a significant increase in incidence of colonic carcinoma but the incidence of rectal carcinoma remains steady. Aims and Objectives: This prospective study was undertaken to assess the clinico-pathological profile and management of colorectal malignancy in a tertiary referral institute of eastern India and to compare the above data with the data from the western world. Material and Methods: The patients admitted with the diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma in IPGME and R (SSKM), a tertiary hospital in eastern India, between January 2006 and December 2010, were included in this study.These patients were prospectively analyzed for age, sex, site of the lesion, clinical presentations, nature of the growth and types of surgery performed. Results: 192 patients were included in this study of which 78 patients were of younger age group (<35 years) and 114 patients were older (>35 years). The mean age of this series was 44.1 years. The male to female ratio of younger and older group was 1.68:1and 1.85:1 respectively. Reetal bleeding was the commenest symptom irrespective of age and sex. Pain in abdomen (39.7%) and intesti-nal obstruction (21.8%) were the predominantpresenting features in the patients of youngergroup whereas weight loss was commonest pre-senting feature in the patients of older agegroup. Most common histological type, irre-spective of age, was adenocarcinoma (93.8%).Overall, right sided colonic growth was morecommon in females while rectum was the com-monest site of affection in males. The patients of younger age group presented in advanced stage like Duke s C and Duke s D. Conclusions:The younger patients are diagnosed with colorectal carcinoma. Cancer of right colon is more common than that of left. The younger patients present more often with abdominal pain and intestinal obstruction whereas older patients present more with weight loss. The younger patients present at an advanced stage of disease where only palliative treatment is possible.