title: [Colorectal cancer: epidemiologic characteristics in a hospital center of Rosario, Argentina].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To obtain clinical and epidemiological information that could be relevant for the purpose of screening and diagnostic strategies in colorectal cancer (CRC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective, descriptive, observational study was performed during a three year-period at the Hospital Provincial del Centenario in Rosario, Argentina. A population of symptomatic patients referred for colonoscopic examination was evaluated after the histopathologic diagnosis of colorectal adenocarcinoma was made. A total of 1.543 colonoscopies was evaluated. Relevant information was retrieved from clinical records, and endoscopic, pathologic and tomography examinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty six cases of CRC were diagnosed, with an incidence rate of CRC in the study population of 5.6%. Eighty six percent of patients were older than 50 years. Seventy five percent of tumors were located in the sigmoid colon and rectum. Synchronic lesions were found in 5.8% of tumor cases. Type 2 stenotic lesions were preferentially found in the left colon, whereas the site of most type 1 lesions was within the right colon. Most tumors (89.70%) were moderately well-differentiated adenocarcinomas. The most frequent site of metastases was the liver (64%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this population of symptomatic patients, 75% of colorectal tumors were found in the sigmoid colon and rectum, with 5.8% of cases showing a second, synchronous tumor. More than 80% of neoplastic lesions occurred in patients aged 50 or older and almost 90% were moderately well-differentiated adenocarcinomas. These data suggest guidelines for a proper strategy to prevent CRC.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Gastroenterología y Hepatología, Hospital Provincial del Centenario, Argentina. ruffinengo9@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Orlando
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ruffinengo
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tanno
authors.forename: Josefina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Covernton
authors.forename: Mariquena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corral
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Curvale
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pairola
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raimondo
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pezzotto
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanno
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000379:methods; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult