title: Clinicopathological patterns of colorectal cancer in Tunisia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to review the clinical and pathological features of colorectal cancer in Tunisia, a retrospective study was carried out on 1,443 cancer cases diagnosed in the Pathology Department, Farhet Hached University Hospital of Sousse, for a 15-year period (1993-2007).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age was 61 years. Adenocarcinoma was the most frequent (90.9%) with moderately differentiated tumors accounting for 76.7% of cases. Only eighty patients were identified as being in early stages (0 and A) and 85.8% in advanced stages (B-D). Over time, we observed a significant decrease of stage B (p=0.02) and a significant increase of stage D (p=0.002). The tumor size was larger than 5 cm in 67.5% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The large proportion of patients presented at advanced stages, compared to only 5.5% of patients at early stages, emphasizes the need to plan and develop a screening program for the early detection of this cancer and its precursor lesions in Tunisia.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Epidemiology and Cytopathology in Tunisian Center, Medicine Faculty, Tunisia. missaouinabiha@live.fr
authors.forename: Nabiha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Missaouia
authors.forename: Lilia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jaidaine
authors.forename: Atef
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Abdelkader
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Beizig
authors.forename: Affissath
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anjorin
authors.forename: Mohamed Tahar
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Yaacoubi
authors.forename: Sihem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hmissa
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult