title: Colorectal Cancer Patient Characteristics, Treatment and Survival in Oman--a Single Center Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colorectal cancer is the most common gastrointestinal cancer in Oman with an increasing incidence. We here report the presenting features, treatment outcomes and survival in a University hospital in Oman and compare our data with regional and international studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of patients with colorectal cancer were reviewed retrospectively between June 2000 and December 2013 and were followed until June 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 162 patients were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The majority were males (58.6%), with a median age of 56 years. Rectum was involved in 29.6% of patients, followed by ascending and sigmoid colon. The majority of patients had stage III (42.6%) and stage IV (32.7%) disease at presentation. K-Ras status was checked for 79 patients, and 41 (51.9%) featured the wild type. Median relapse free survival was 22 months. Median overall survival for all patients was 43 months. Observed 5 year overall survival (OS) for stages I, II and III was 100%, 60% and 60% respectively. On Log rank univariate analysis, age, BMI, diabetes, hypertension, metformin use, stage, clinical nodal status for rectal cancer, pathological T and nodal status, site of metastasis, surgical intervention, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy regimen, no of cycles of chemotherapy, response, RFS, site of recurrence and administration of 2nd line chemotherapy were significant factors affecting OS. On Cox regression multivariate analysis none of the factors independently affected the OS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of patients present with advanced disease and at young age. The survival rates are comparable to the published regional and international literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman E-mail : bhagia1@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Shiyam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Ikram A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Burney
authors.forename: Khawaja Farhan
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Zahid
authors.forename: Philomena Charlotte
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: D Souza
authors.forename: Muna A L
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Belushi
authors.forename: Taha Dawood
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Mufti
authors.forename: Waeil A L
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Meki
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furrukh
authors.forename: Mansour S A L
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Moundhri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009850:Oman; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult