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Changes on the disease pattern of primary colorectal cancers in Southern China: a retrospective study of 20 years

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International Journal of Colorectal Disease Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Some changes on the disease pattern of colorectal cancer (CRC) have occurred in some Asian countries recently. However, nothing is known about it in China lately. The present study is to determine whether there are any changes on the disease pattern of CRC in Southern China.

Patients and methods

Data were collected from all consecutive patients accepting colonoscopy in our endoscopy center during the last 20 years. The sociodemographic data, clinical presentations, endoscopic descriptions, and histological subtypes of patients confirmed as CRC by pathology were analyzed retrospectively.

Results

A total of 37,578 patients accepted colonoscopy from 1987 to 2006, in which 2,876 patients were diagnosed as CRC. The median age of patients in the 2nd decade (1997–2006; 62 years) was getting older than the 1st decade (1987–1996; 58 years; P = 0.043). Hematochezia was the most frequent symptom (55.8%), while rectum was the most common site distribution of CRC (51.0%). The incidence of right-sided colonic cancers in the 2nd decade (21.0%) was higher than the 1st decade (17.3%; P = 0.0314). Histologically, adenocarcinoma was the most common (92.4%), of which moderately differentiated tumors were more frequent (67.7%). CRCs with high-grade malignancy were more likely to occur in the 1st decade (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Rectum remains the most common site of CRC in southern China. But a rightward shift in the site distribution has occurred and patients are getting older. Tumors with high-grade malignancy have the tendency to decrease.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully thank Professor Tao Yu from the Division of Pathology for helpful suggestions on the pathological typing and skillful technical assistance. We also thank Dr. Robert Wong and Wei-wei Xiao for helpful suggestions and comments on the manuscript. This study is sponsored by the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province.

Conflicts of interest statement

Authors do not have any disclosures relevant to this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, People’s Republic of China

    Shenghong Zhang, Yi Cui, Xiaorong Gong, Minhu Chen & Bihui Zhong

  2. Division of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, People’s Republic of China

    Zijin Weng

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  1. Shenghong Zhang
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  2. Yi Cui
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  3. Zijin Weng
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  4. Xiaorong Gong
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  5. Minhu Chen
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  6. Bihui Zhong
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bihui Zhong.

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Source of support

This study is sponsored by the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province.

Presentation of meeting

The abstract of this article is presented in the 8th annual meeting of Chinese Gastroenterology in Xi’an in Oct. 2008.

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Zhang, S., Cui, Y., Weng, Z. et al. Changes on the disease pattern of primary colorectal cancers in Southern China: a retrospective study of 20 years. Int J Colorectal Dis 24, 943–949 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-009-0726-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-009-0726-y

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