Colorectal cancer in young patients: Is it a distinct clinical entity?

Abstract

e14594 Background: The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in young patients (pts) has increased significantly in the last decade. Several studies, including from our group, have evaluated whether CRC in young pts has unique features, with conflicting results. The aim of our study was to compare various characteristics of CRC between young and older pts, while emphasizing potential differences through a younger age cutoff and a larger database. Methods: This was a single center retrospective case control study. We searched our institutional database for all CRC pts 40 years old or younger who were diagnosed between 1997 and 2013. A control group consisted of consecutive pts older than 50 years at CRC diagnosis during the same period. These pts were matched to the study group by their year of diagnosis in a 1:2 ratio. Data on demographics, predisposing risk factors, clinical presentation, disease characteristics, treatment and outcome were compared between groups. Results: A total of 330 pts were included...