title: Pathological features and survival outcomes of young patients with operable colon cancer: are they homogeneous?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the pathological features and survival outcomes at different age subgroups of young patients with colon cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) population-based data, we identified 2,861 young patients with colon cancer diagnosed between 1988 and 2005 treated with surgery. Patients were divided into four groups: group 1 (below 25 years), group 2 (26-30 years), group 3 (31-35 years) and group 4 (36-40 years). Five-year cancer specific survival data were obtained. Kaplan-Meier methods were adopted and multivariable Cox regression models were built for the analysis of long-term survival outcomes and risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant different among four groups in pathological grading, histological type, AJCC stage, current standard (≥12 lymph nodes retrieval), mean number of lymph nodes examined and positive lymph nodes (p<0.001). The 5-year cause specific survival was 71.0% in group 1, 75.1% in group 2, 80.6% in group 3 and 82.5% in group 4, which had significant difference in both univariate (P = 0.002) and multivariate analysis (P = 0.041).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young patients with colon cancer at age 18-40 years are essentially a heterogeneous group. Patients at age 31-35, 36-40 subgroups have more favorable clinicopathologic characteristics and better cancer specific survival than below 30 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qingguo
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Changhua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhuo
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guoxiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hongtu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Dawei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: SanJun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D018426:SEER Program; D055815:Young Adult