title: Cure by age and stage at diagnosis for colorectal cancer patients in North West England, 1997-2004: a population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stage and age at diagnosis are important prognostic factors for patients with colorectal cancer. However, the proportion cured by stage and age is unknown in England.
  
  
  METHODS
  This population-based study includes 29,563 adult patients who were diagnosed and registered with colorectal cancer during 1997-2004 and followed till 2007 in North West England. Multiple imputation was used to provide more reliable estimates of stage at diagnosis, when these data were missing. Cure mixture models were used to estimate the proportion 'cured' and the median survival of the uncured by age and stage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For both colon and rectal cancer the proportion of patients cured and median survival time of the uncured decreased with advancing stage and increasing age. Patients aged under 65 years had the highest proportion cured and longest median survival of the uncured.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cure of colorectal cancer patients is dependent on stage and age at diagnosis with younger patients or those with less advanced disease having a better prognosis. Further efforts are required, in order to reduce the proportion of patients presenting with stage III and IV disease and ultimately increase the chance of cure.
authors: Preventative Oncology and Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada. lorraine.shack@albertahealthservice.ca
authors: L G
authors: LG
authors: Shack
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Shah
authors: P C
authors: PC
authors: Lambert
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Rachet
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D016019:Survival Analysis; D055815:Young Adult