The Clinicopathological Differences of Colon Cancer in Young Adults Versus Older Adults

Abstract

Purpose: Colon cancer is the third-most common and fatal cancer, with a mean age of onset >65 years. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of cases of colon cancer in young (CCY) patients. This study investigates the biological behavior and epidemiological features of CCY and older adults in our area. Methods: Eighty-one patients (19 young adults <40 years old and 62 older adults ≥40 years old) were admitted to the General Surgery Clinic of the Constanta Emergency Hospital for colon cancer between January and December 2018. The biological behavior and epidemiological characteristics of the two groups were compared. Results: The group of young patients was characterized by finding the diagnosis on an average of 6-9 months after the onset of the first symptom, in a more advanced stage of the disease (73.69%); the onset of symptoms being nonspecific (diarrhea 26.32%, weight loss 21.05%, constipation 21.05%, and bloating 21.05%) and initially treated in a benign context, without the recommendation of additional specific explorations. The time between the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis established in the category of patients ≥40 years of age was on an average of 3-6 months, with most patients being diagnosed in the early stages of the disease (62.9%). Conclusions: Improving health education through colon cancer information programs should be implemented with information on alert symptoms and indications on the steps that a symptomatic patient should follow and no longer ignore his or her symptoms, because health is not necessarily the prerogative of youth.

Keywords: age; colon cancer; prevention; young.