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. 2024 Oct:10:e2400211.
doi: 10.1200/GO.24.00211. Epub 2024 Nov 7.

Assessment of the Clinicopathologic Characteristics and Survival Rates of Colorectal Cancer Among Syrian Refugees and Turkish Population in Gaziantep Province

Canan Karan  1 , İlker Nihat Okten  2 , Oğuzhan Kesen  3 , Atalay Çelikyürek  4 , Fatih Teker  1 , Şuayib Yalçın  5
Affiliations

Assessment of the Clinicopathologic Characteristics and Survival Rates of Colorectal Cancer Among Syrian Refugees and Turkish Population in Gaziantep Province

Canan Karan et al. JCO Glob Oncol. 2024 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose: Syrian refugees (SRs) have had difficulties in the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of chronic diseases, such as cancer, because of the conflict in the region. The cancer diagnosis and treatment process of SR are also a matter of curiosity. We aimed to compare the demographic characteristics and survival outcome data of SRs and Turkish citizens (TCs), and colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancer types seen with similar frequency globally.

Materials and methods: A total of 421 patients with CRC were included. Overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used for comparison. Patient demographic data were compared using the Pearson Chi-square test and independent t test.

Results: In total, 421 patients (282 TCs and 139 SRs) were included in this study. The mean age was 52.9 ± 14.3 years for the entire population: 55.3 ± 14.1 years for TCs and 47.9 ± 13.4 years for SRs. Forty (29%) SRs and 60 (21.4%) TCs had de novo metastatic disease (P = .08). The median OS in the general population was 57.9 months (95% CI, 40.1 to 75.7), whereas it was 80.9 months (95% CI, 56.5 to 97.2) in TCs and 42.2 months in SRs (95% CI, 27.0 to 57.4; P = .006). In the nonmetastatic group, the median OS did not reach (NR) in TCs, and it was 52.6 months (95% CI, 43.7 to 61.5) in SRs (P = .02). In the metastatic group, the median OS was 21 months (95% CI, 8.5 to 29.2) in TCs, and it was 18.9 months in SRs (95% CI, 16.3 to 25.7; P = .93).

Conclusion: The survival rate was lower in the SR group. Since CRC is also common among refugees, developing and implementing methods to improve the welfare of vulnerable populations is necessary.

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Conflict of interest statement

The following represents disclosure information provided by authors of this manuscript. All relationships are considered compensated unless otherwise noted. Relationships are self-held unless noted. I = Immediate Family Member, Inst = My Institution. Relationships may not relate to the subject matter of this manuscript. For more information about ASCO's conflict of interest policy, please refer to www.asco.org/rwc or ascopubs.org/go/authors/author-center.

Open Payments is a public database containing information reported by companies about payments made to US-licensed physicians (Open Payments).

Şuayib Yalçın

Stock and Other Ownership Interests: Pfizer, Humana

Honoraria: Gen

Consulting or Advisory Role: Roche, Amgen, Gen, Bayer, Novartis, MSD Oncology, BMS, Merck Serono, Pfizer

Speakers' Bureau: Pfizer, Merck Serono, gen ilaç, Roche, Novartis, Bayer

Research Funding: Celgene (Inst)

Travel, Accommodations, Expenses: Gen, Roche

No other potential conflicts of interest were reported.

Figures

FIG 1
FIG 1
Demonstration of the Kaplan-Meier curves for OS of total population with colorectal cancer stratified according to TCs and SRs. NR, not reached; OS, overall survival; SRs, Syrian refugees; TCs, Turkish citizens.
FIG 2
FIG 2
Demonstration of the Kaplan-Meier curves for OS of nonmetastatic patients with colorectal cancer stratified according to TCs and SRs. OS, overall survival; SRs, Syrian refugees; TCs, Turkish citizens.
FIG 3
FIG 3
Demonstration of the Kaplan-Meier curves for OS of distant-metastatic patients with colorectal cancer stratified according to TCs and SRs. OS, overall survival; SRs, Syrian refugees; TCs, Turkish citizens.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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