title: A retrospective analysis of 2000 cases with colorectal carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of death in the western world and a leading cause of cancer-related death. It is one of the most common human malignancies with >300,000 cases both in the United States and in the European Union each year. The present study was conducted to assess differences in various variables of CRC, such as location of the tumor, differentiation, Dukes classification, 5-year survival and possible changes in these patterns during the examined period.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected data on 2000 patients with colorectal cancer, diagnosed and treated from 1960 to 2008 in 1st Propedeutic Surgical Clinic of Aristotle's University, Thessaloniki.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 2000 cases reviewed, cancer was almost equal presented to both sexes, for all groups. Rectum was the most common tumor location in all analyzed groups (40.1%). The most common tumor differentiation was the moderate one (68.5%). Concerning tumor staging, Dukes' B tumors were most common (42.5%), and the cancer-related 5-year survival was increased by the time from 42 to 71%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the past 20 years, considerable improvements have been made in colorectal cancer therapy, and patients had received more sophisticated and multidisciplinary treatments, resulting in a better 5-year survival rate.
authors: First Propedeutic Surgical Clinic, Aristotle's University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Hospital, St Kyriakidi 1, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Basdanis
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Mekras
authors: V N
authors: VN
authors: Papadopoulos
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Karamanlis
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Paramythiotis
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Mekras
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Panagiotou
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Panidis
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Michalopoulos
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends