Histomorphological characteristics of colorectal carcinoma in the young and elderly: Is there a difference?

Abstract

Introduction: Colorectal carcinoma is among the leading causes of cancer related mortality. There has been an increase in incidence of CRC in the younger age group. Also young patients with CRC reveal different tumor characteristics than average age or older age groups. Aims: This study was undertaken to analyze the differences in Histomorphological characteristics, based on gender, subsite of the tumor, tumor differentiation and disease stage of CRC in young and elderly age group. Materials and Methods: Histopathologically confirmed cases of colorectal cancer from the year 2007-2013 were taken from the Department of Pathology. Sub group analyses of histomorphological features of CRC in patients 40 yrs using chi square or Fischer’s exact test. P value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Hundred and three cases of colorectal cancer were included in the study. 20.3% of cases were below the age of 40yrs. In patients less than 40 years, most common site of lesion was the rectum, followed by sigmoid colon and caecum. Mucin secreting/signet ring carcinoma (38.09%) and moderately differentiated carcinoma (28.5%) was more common in young patients, than elderly patients. 16.6% of young patients had Dukes stage A, 66.6% had stage B and 16.6% stage C disease. Conclusion: Colorectal cancer in young patients are associated with aggressive histopathological characteristics and advanced stage at diagnosis. Most of the lesions were seen in rectum followed by sigmoid colon. This emphasizes the development and implementation of effective screening program in young patients