A population-based study of age-related variation in clinicopathological features, molecular. Markers and outcome from colorectal cancer.
BACKGROUND
To investigate age-related differences in clinicopathological features, molecular alterations and patient survival in a large, population-based series of CRC.


METHODS
The study cohort consisted of 5,971 cases diagnosed between 1993 and 2003 representing over 90% of the CRCs diagnosed in the state of Western Australia.


RESULTS
Patients aged < or =30, < or =40, < or =50 and < or =60 years comprised 0.9%, 3.1%, 10.6% and 27.8% of all cases, respectively. The proportion of rectal cancers and tumors with poor differentiation was higher in < or =30-year-old patients and decreased progressively with age. The incidence of tumors with microsatellite instability was significantly higher in patients aged 540 years (18.3%) compared to those aged 41-60 years (6.6%; p<0.0001). TP53 mutations were also more frequent (p=0.002), however K-ras mutations were less common (p =0.0001) when comparing the same age groups.


CONCLUSIONS
These results provide evidence for major age-related differences in the clinical and molecular features of CRC.
Morris
Melinda
M
School of Surgery and Pathology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands 6009, Western Australia.
Platell
Cameron
C
Iacopetta
Barry
B
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053842:Microsatellite Instability; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation