title: Racial Disparities in Colorectal Carcinoma Incidence, Severity and Survival Times Over 10 Years: A Retrospective Single Center Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Although studies have been performed on malignancy behavior in African Americans and Caucasians, scant data are present on other minority racial groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective single center study was performed where 1,860 patient charts with a diagnosis of CRC from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2014 were reviewed. Data collected on each patient included age, gender, ethnicity, primary site and histological stage at the time of diagnosis. Survival time over the course of 5 years was documented for patients from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2009. Comparisons were made amongst different racial groups for the above mentioned factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study population consisted of 27.09% African Americans, 65.61% Caucasians, 3.86% Hispanics, 0.54% South Asians, 1.03% Arabs, 0.54% Asians and 0.22% American Indians. Mean age of CRC presentation was found to be significantly different (P < 0.05) between the three largest racial groups: 71 years for Caucasians, 69 years for African Americans, and 61 years for Hispanics. African Americans (27.09%) and Hispanics (28.79%) presented predominantly at stage IV in comparison to other racial groups. Caucasians presented predominantly at stage III (24.84%). The rectum was the most common site of CRC across all racial groups with the exception of Asians, where sigmoid colon was the predominant site (30%). Adenocarcinoma remained the predominant cancer type in all groups. Hispanics had relatively higher incidence rate of carcinoid tumor (12.68%). Survival time analysis showed that Caucasians tend to have better survival probability over 5 years after initial diagnosis as compared to African Americans and Hispanic (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is lack of studies performed on minority racial groups in North America. Our study highlighted some important clinical differences of CRC presentation in different racial groups which are not well studied and can be used to formulate future multi-center studies to assess disease behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago/Advocate Christ Medical Center, 4440 W 95th Street, Oak Lawn, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Hafiz Muhammad Sharjeel
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Arshad
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago/Advocate Christ Medical Center, 4440 W 95th Street, Oak Lawn, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Eula
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tetangco
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago/Advocate Christ Medical Center, 4440 W 95th Street, Oak Lawn, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago/Advocate Christ Medical Center, 4440 W 95th Street, Oak Lawn, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kabir
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago/Advocate Christ Medical Center, 4440 W 95th Street, Oak Lawn, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Hareth
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Raddawi
keywords: Colorectal cancer; Ethnicity; Race; Site of colorectal carcinoma; Stage of colorectal carcinoma; Survival time; Type of colorectal cancer