The clinical characteristics of colorectal cancer in Guangdong province

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of colorectal cancer and its trend in Guangdong province.Methods The data from 6501 patients with pathologically confirmed colorectal cancer of 5 hospitals from 1990 to 2004 was analyzed.Results The mean age of 6501 patients with colo- rectal cancer was 59 years old,with the predominant age ranged from 61 to 70 years old.The proportion of young patients decreased from 7.1% to 3.5%.and the ratio between male and female was 1.47:1, which was gradually increased with increasing of age.The prevelence reached a high peak(60 years old) and dropped after that as a single peak curve.The ratio between rectal cancer and colon cancer was 1.1: 1,and the descending colon cancer accounted for 27.6%.With ageing,the rectal cancers decreased while the right hemi colon cancer increased gradually.Tubular adenocarinoma was predominant with his- tological typing,which accounted for 76.0%.The progressing stage(Dukes B,C,and D)was found in 93.9% of all cases.Conclusions The onset age of patients with colorectal cancer become close to west- ern country.The proportion of young patients are decreasing.The ratio between male and female dis- plays a single peak curve from rising to dropping.A tendency of decreasing percentage in rectal cancer and the gradual increasing in right hemi colon cancer emphasize the importance of colonoscopy in colorec- tal caner screening.