title: The characteristics of large bowel cancer in the low-risk black population of the Witwatersrand.
abstract: Sporadic colorectal cancer may follow a different pathogenic pathway in low-risk populations. The black population of the Witwatersrand has been urbanized for a long time, and has a westernized lifestyle, but colorectal cancer is still infrequent. This study aimed to define the characteristics of the disease in this group. All histologically proven large bowel cancers arising in blacks resident in the Witwatersrand in 1991 and 1996 were extracted from the registry records. Mean age was 54.3 years (range 16-90 years); 6% occurred before 30 years and 22% before 40 years. Male:female ratio was 1.32:1. Over three-quarters of the tumours arose in the rectum and sigmoid; there was no evidence of a right-sided preponderance. More than half the cases were advanced at presentation, and nearly one third were mucinous or signet ring on pathological assessment. Associated adenomata were rare (5.2%), suggesting a different pathogenic pathway from the classical adenoma-carcinoma sequence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Boytchev
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marcovic
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Oettle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044383:Black People; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population