Characteristics of young colorectal cancer in Brunei Darussalam: an epidemiologic study of 29 years (1986-2014).
BACKGROUND
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common gastrointestinal cancer and the incidence is increasing. CRC is more common with increasing age, but a proportion occurs in young adults, termed young CRC. This study assessed the incidence and the demographic of young CRC in Brunei Darussalam.


METHODS
All histologically proven CRC between 1986 and 2014 registered with the Department of Pathology cancer registry were reviewed and data extracted for analyses. Young CRC was defined as cancer in patients aged less than 45 years. The various population groups were categorized into locals (Malays, Chinese and Indigenous) and expatriates.


RESULTS
Over the study period, there were 1,126 histologically proven CRC (mean age 59.1 ± 14.7 years, Male 58.0%, Locals 91.8% and 8.2% expatriates). Young CRC accounted for 15.1% with the proportion declining over the years, from 29% (1986-1990) to 13.2% (2011-2014). The proportion of young CRC was highest among the indigenous (30.8%), followed by the expatriates (29.3%), Malays (14.3%) and lowest among the Chinese (10.8%). The mean age of young CRC was 35.9 ± 6.2; lowest among the indigenous (33.5 ± 6.7), expatriate (34.9 ± 6.0) groupd and the Malays (35.6 ± 6.5) compared to the Chinese (38.6 ± 4.6), a similar trend being observed in the non-young CRC groups. There were no difference between the genders and tumor locations (rectum or colon) between the young and the non-young CRC cases. Female young CRC was significantly younger than male (p<0.05) without any significant variation between the various population groups (p>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study showed that the young CRC accounted for 15.1% of all CRC with declining trend observed over recent years. Young CRC was more common among indigenous, expatriates and Malays and least common among the Chinese. There were no differences in the gender and tumor locations.
Department of Surgery, RIPAS Hospital, Brunei Darussalam E-mail : chongvuih@yahoo.co.uk.
Kai Shing
KS
Koh
Pemasari Upali
PU
Telisinghe
Ian
I
Bickle
Muhammad Syafiq
MS
Abdullah
Chee Fui
CF
Chong
Vui Heng
VH
Chong
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002010:Brunei / Q000453:epidemiology; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D008296:Malaysia / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution