Risk profile of patients with colorectal cancer

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most popular neoplasm of the gastrointestinal system and is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world and in Bulgaria. Our aim was to evaluate and analyze the risk profile of patients diagnosed with CRC. We studied 363 cases of patients with CRC treated at the Clinic of General Surgery at Lozenets University Hospital in Sofia for the period 2002-2012. Patients were categorized according to basic demographic characteristics, general and disease-specific risk factors and to the morphological and histological characteristics of CRC. Their average age was 67 years (±11 years), 42,7% were women and 57,3% were men. The most common general risk factors among patients with CRC were smoking, drinking alcohol and unbalanced diet and from the group of specific risk factors - the presence of adenomatous polyps of the colon. Morphologically, most patients had cancer in the rectosigmoid area of the colon (61,5%) and histologically, it was adenocarcinoma in the majority of the cases. Based on the TNM classification, 2,5% of patients with CRC were diagnosed at stage 0, 8% at stage I, 42,7% at stage II, 26,2% at stage III and 20, 6% atstage IV. Most CRC patients were diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease. It is necessary to focus on targeted and detailed evaluation of the general and specific risk factors for CRC as well as in adequate screening of risk groups which would lead to an earlier diagnosis and improved prognosis.