Colorectal Cancer
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2005. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 14, 2005; 11(30): 4685-4688
Published online Aug 14, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i30.4685
Changing patterns of colorectal cancer in China over a period of 20 years
Ming Li, Jin Gu
Ming Li, Jin Gu, Department of Surgery, Beijing Cancer Hospital, Peking University School of Oncology, Beijing Institute for Cancer Research, Beijing 100036, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Jin Gu, Department of Surgery, No. 52 Fucheng Road, Beijing Cancer Hospital, Beijing 100036, China. zlguj@bjmu.edu.cn
Telephone: +86-10-88141032 Fax: +86-10-88122437
Received: July 7, 2004
Revised: November 13, 2004
Accepted: November 17, 2004
Published online: August 14, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To determine whether any changes have occurred on the patterns of colorectal cancer in China.

METHODS: Data from 21 Chinese articles published from 1980 to 1999, were used to analyze the time trend of colorectal cancer according to the patients’ age at diagnosis, sex, the site of the tumor, stage, and the pathology.

RESULTS: From 1980s to 1990s, the mean age of the colorectal cancer patients has increased. The percentage of the female patients rose. The distribution of colorectal carcinoma shows a predominance of rectal cancer. However, the proportion of proximal colon cancer (including transverse and ascending colon) increased significantly accompanied by a decline in the percentage of rectal cancer. Similarity in the percentage of distal colon cancer between two decades was revealed. In the 1990s, statistically more Stage B patients were found than those in 1980s. In addition, databases show a significant decrease in the Stage D cases. The proportion of adenocarcinoma increased, but the mucinous adenocarcinoma decreased during two decades.

CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that the pattern of colorectal cancer in China has been changing. Especially, a proximal shift due to the increasing proportion of ascending and transverse colon cancer has occurred in China.

Keywords: Colorectal carcinoma; Time trends; Age; Sex; Subsite; Pathology