title: Delay of treatment is associated with advanced stage of rectal cancer but not of colon cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dukes' stage is the most important predictor of prognosis of colorectal cancer, but the association between delay of treatment (DT) and Dukes' stage is still controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1 January 2001 to 31 July 2002, we conducted a population-based prospective observational study based on 733 Danish colorectal cancer patients. DT was determined through questionnaire-interviews, and Dukes' stage was obtained from medical records and pathological forms. DT was classified into three groups: short (0-60 days), intermediate (61-150 days) and long (>150 days) DT. Dukes' stage was classified into two groups: non-advanced (Dukes' stage A or B) and advanced (Dukes' stage C or D) cancer. Using relative risk (RR) the association between DT and stage was estimated, with short delay as the reference group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The RR of advanced cancer was 1.0 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.8-1.3) for colon cancer patients with an intermediate DT, and 1.1 (95% CI: 0.9-1.4) for patients with a long DT. For rectal cancer patients the RR of advanced cancer was 1.9 (95% CI: 1.1-3.1) for patients with an intermediate DT and 2.1 (95% CI: 1.3-3.4) for patients with a long DT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DT was strongly associated with advanced stage of rectal cancer, but not of colon cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery L, Aarhus University Hospital, Tage Hansensgade 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. Marianne.korsgaard@dadlnet.dk <Marianne.korsgaard@dadlnet.dk>
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korsgaard
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Henrik Toft
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: Søren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laurberg
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors