Colorectal Cancer Statistics From the Veterans Affairs Central Cancer Registry.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common and potentially deadly disease. Although the United States has robust cancer data reporting, information from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system has often been underrepresented in national cancer data sources. We describe veterans with incident CRC in terms of their patient and tumor characteristics and mortality.



Patients diagnosed or treated with CRC at any VA institution in the fiscal years 2009 to 2012 were identified using 3 data sources: (1) VA Central Cancer Registry (VACCR); (2) VA Corporate Data Warehouse; and (3) VA Reports and Measures Portal. The CRC frequencies within the VA population and survival curves were examined descriptively and compared with the national projections using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program data.



A total of 12,551 veterans with CRC were included in the present analysis. The median age at diagnosis was 65.5 years. Approximately 97% (n = 12,229) of the CRC cases were diagnosed among men. Approximately 44% (n = 5517) of the patients were diagnosed with localized disease. The 3-year survival rate was associated with age (P < .01) and stage (P < .01) at diagnosis. We identified a possible decrease in VA CRC incidence over time.



Although the VA CRC patient population was heavily skewed toward the male gender, the patient and tumor characteristics were similar between the incident CRC cases reported by the VACCR and those reported to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program. This suggests that research findings resulting from the VACCR might have applicability beyond the VA healthcare system setting.
Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC; Division of General Internal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. Electronic address: leah.zullig@va.gov.
Leah L
LL
Zullig
Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC; Division of General Internal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
Valerie A
VA
Smith
Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC; Division of General Internal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
George L
GL
Jackson
Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC.
Susanne
S
Danus
Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC.
Merritt
M
Schnell
Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC.
Jennifer
J
Lindquist
Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC; Cooperative Studies Program Epidemiology Center, Durham, NC; Division of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
Dawn
D
Provenzale
Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC.
Morris
M
Weinberger
Office of Patient Care Services, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC; Hematology-Oncology Service, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC; Division of Medical Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
Michael J
MJ
Kelley
Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC; Division of General Internal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Nursing, Duke University, Durham, NC.
Hayden B
HB
Bosworth
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D018426:SEER Program; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
Colorectal; Incidence; Mortality; Neoplasms; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs