Colorectal carcinoma in young adults: a retrospective study on Indian patients: 2000-2008.
OBJECTIVE
To highlight an increased incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) amongst young Indian adults.


METHODS
A retrospective study of 305 cases of CRC admitted to SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, India during 2000-2008 was carried out.


RESULTS
The ratio (0.64) of under-40 to above-40 CRC patients reported in this study is comparable to those from premier Oncology Centers in India (∼0.52) and is higher than those in the Indian National Cancer Registry (∼0.20) and international average (0.07). Distinctive tumour characteristics in younger patients including left-sided lesion (69.7%), presentation at an advanced (III/IV) stage (60%), poor histological differentiation (50%) and predominance of mucin-secreting adenocarcinoma (80%) are similar to those reported in the international literature. Some features are suggestive of hereditary non polyposis colorectal cancer syndrome, which may be a possible reason for the high proportion of young CRC patients.


CONCLUSIONS
A high index of suspicion for CRC among young Indian adults is necessary.
Department of Surgery, IPGMER, Kolkata, India. shahanagupta@yahoo.co.in
S
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Gupta
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Bhattacharya
A N
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Acharya
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Majumdar
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P
Ranjan
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S
Das
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult