Characteristics and symptomatology of colorectal cancer in the young

Comprehensive analysis of the prognostic value of pre-treatment nutritional indicators in elderly rectal cancer patients

Nutritional status assessment has been deemed essential in treating elderly cancer patients. This study aims to investigate and compare the prognostic value and clinical utility of pre-treatment nutritional indicators in elderly rectal cancer (RC) patients. We retrospectively collected data from 361 elderly rectal cancer patients. The optimal cut-off values for pre-treatment nutritional indicators were calculated using ROC curve analysis. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were conducted to identify independent prognostic nutritional indicators. The predictive performance and clinical utility of these independent nutritional indicators was evaluated using time-dependent ROC. Multivariate analyses showed that body mass index (BMI), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), geriatric nutrition risk index (GNRI), and platelet-albumin ratio (PAR) independently predicted overall survival and progression-free survival in elderly RC patients (all p < 0.05), except for advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI). According to the nomogram model, the pre-treatment nutritional prognosis score was calculated and the patients were risk stratified. The KM curve showed that the survival of the high-risk group was significantly worse than that of the low-moderate risk group. Time-dependent ROC indicated that novel nutritional prognostic indicator (NNPI) had the best predictive ability compared with the independent prognostic nutritional indicator. Subgroup analysis also showed that NNPI had prognostic value across different clinical factors and had significant clinical utility. In elderly RC patients, BMI, PNI, GNRI, PAR, and NNPI serve as objective assessment tools for nutrition-related mortality risk. Identifying elderly patients at higher nutritional risk can guide early clinical nutritional interventions and improve patient outcomes.

Low neighborhood socioeconomic status is associated with poor outcomes in young adults with colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

The incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer has increased markedly over the past decade. Although established for older adults, there are limited data on socioeconomic and racial disparities in screening, treatment, and outcomes in this distinct group.

METHODS

Adults with primary colorectal cancer diagnosed at age <50 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. The exposure of interest was neighborhood socioeconomic status based on the Yost Index, a census-tract level composite score of neighborhood economic health. Univariate analysis was performed with χ2 analyses. Logistic regression models were created to evaluate the association of neighborhood socioeconomic status (Yost Index quintile) with metastasis at presentation and surgical intervention. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards models were created.

RESULTS

In total, 45,660 early-onset colorectal cancer patients were identified; 16.8% (7,679) were in the lowest quintile of neighborhood socioeconomic status. Patients with the lowest neighborhood socioeconomic status were 1.13 times (95% confidence interval 1.06-1.21) more likely to present with metastases and had lower survival (hazard ratio 1.45, 95% confidence interval 1.37-1.53) compared to those with the highest neighborhood socioeconomic status. Non-Hispanic Black patients were more likely to present with metastatic disease (odds ratio 1.11, 95% confidence interval 1.05-1.19), less likely to undergo surgery for localized or regional disease (odds ratio 0.48, 95% confidence interval 0.43-0.53), and had lower survival (hazard ratio 1.21, 95% confidence interval 1.15-1.27) than non-Hispanic White patients.

CONCLUSION

Socioeconomic and racial disparities in early-onset colorectal cancer span diagnosis, treatment, and survival. As the disease burden of early-age onset colorectal cancer increases, interventions to boost early diagnosis and access to surgery are necessary to improve survival among minorities and patients with low neighborhood socioeconomic status.

Early Symptom Patterns by Tumor Laterality, Age at Onset, Stage, and Symptom-to-Treatment Initiation in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

In Indonesia incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains high. Information about early symptoms that can offer clinicians insights for timely diagnosis, prompt referral and quick treatment decisions is very limited. This study aims to examine the pattern of CRC early symptoms and its association with tumor laterality, age at onset, metastatic status, and symptom-to-treatment initiation (STI) duration and delay.

METHOD

This cross-sectional study recruits 258 patients diagnosed with CRC between November 2022 and October 2023 from two distinct study databases. Patient baseline characteristics were also obtained from medical records and through interviews at baseline. Symptom-to-treatment initiation (STI) duration was defined as the number of days between the date of the symptom's onset and the date of the first treatment's initiation. Relative risk estimation for metastatic disease and the STI delay, based on tumor laterality and the age at onset group, were estimated using a log-binomial regression for each early symptom.

RESULT

Experiencing abdominal mass as an early symptom is significantly associated with metastatic disease, specifically in right-sided CRC cases (relative risk/RR=2.08, 95% confidence interval/CI 1.29-3.37, p=0.003). In all study subjects, the median STI duration was 182 days (2-5,082 days), with more than half of the subjects experiencing an STI delay of >180 days. Experiencing rectal mass as an early symptom is significantly associated with a higher risk of STI delay >180 days in early onset CRC (RR=1.97, 95% CI 1.27-3.06, p=0.003) and left sided-CRC cases (RR=1.54, 95% CI 1.13-2.08, p=0.005). The non-specific early symptom of weight loss is associated with a higher risk of STI delay >180 days in right-sided CRC cases (RR=1.73, 95% CI 1.06-2.84, p=0.029).

CONCLUSION

The findings underlined the importance of maintaining a high clinical suspicion, particularly in patients with rectal masses and unexplained weight loss, as they might experience STI delay.

Red Flag Signs and Symptoms for Patients With Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Importance

Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC), defined as a diagnosis at younger than age 50 years, is increasing, and so-called red flag signs and symptoms among these individuals are often missed, leading to diagnostic delays. Improved recognition of presenting signs and symptoms associated with EOCRC could facilitate more timely diagnosis and impact clinical outcomes.

Objective

To report the frequency of presenting red flag signs and symptoms among individuals with EOCRC, to examine their association with EOCRC risk, and to measure variation in time to diagnosis from sign or symptom presentation.

Data Sources

PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched from database inception through May 2023.

Study Selection

Studies that reported on sign and symptom presentation or time from sign and symptom presentation to diagnosis for patients younger than age 50 years diagnosed with nonhereditary CRC were included.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently in duplicate for all included studies using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses reporting guidelines. Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools were used to measure risk of bias. Data on frequency of signs and symptoms were pooled using a random-effects model.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Outcomes of interest were pooled proportions of signs and symptoms in patients with EOCRC, estimates for association of signs and symptoms with EOCRC risk, and time from sign or symptom presentation to EOCRC diagnosis.

Results

Of the 12 859 unique articles initially retrieved, 81 studies with 24 908 126 patients younger than 50 years were included. The most common presenting signs and symptoms, reported by 78 included studies, were hematochezia (pooled prevalence, 45% [95% CI, 40%-50%]), abdominal pain (pooled prevalence, 40% [95% CI, 35%-45%]), and altered bowel habits (pooled prevalence, 27% [95% CI, 22%-33%]). Hematochezia (estimate range, 5.2-54.0), abdominal pain (estimate range, 1.3-6.0), and anemia (estimate range, 2.1-10.8) were associated with higher EOCRC likelihood. Time from signs and symptoms presentation to EOCRC diagnosis was a mean (range) of 6.4 (1.8-13.7) months (23 studies) and a median (range) of 4 (2.0-8.7) months (16 studies).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this systematic review and meta-analysis of patients with EOCRC, nearly half of individuals presented with hematochezia and abdominal pain and one-quarter with altered bowel habits. Hematochezia was associated with at least 5-fold increased EOCRC risk. Delays in diagnosis of 4 to 6 months were common. These findings highlight the need to identify concerning EOCRC signs and symptoms and complete timely diagnostic workup, particularly for individuals without an alternative diagnosis or sign or symptom resolution.

Precision Versus Practicality: A Comprehensive Analysis of Robotic Right Colectomy Versus Laparoscopic Right Colectomy, Future Directions, Biases, Research Gaps, and Their Implications

Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world and second in cancer-related mortality. It is most prevalent in the developed world and is often associated with lifestyle factors along with age and genetics. The inclusion criteria comprised high-level evidence, such as randomized clinical trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews, conducted between 2012 and 2023, that directly compared the two approaches. The review reveals mixed outcomes between robotic right colectomy (RRC) and laparoscopic right colectomy (LRC). The robotic approach was associated with longer operative duration and higher costs but with decreased blood loss and quicker recovery compared to laparoscopy. On the other hand, no major differences were observed regarding lymph node retrieval, duration of hospitalization, and surgical complications. Regarding future directions, it is evident that the focus needs to shift beyond the operative parameters and to patient-centered outcomes, which are underreported. Also, more randomized clinical trials are required, focusing on safety, efficacy, and long-term quality of life. Costs-benefit analyses are required to weigh the benefits of robotic surgery against the implementation and practice costs. Additionally, improvements in surgeons' training may be necessary to reduce the operative duration and potentially decrease operational costs. Finally, standardization of research protocols may be necessary to reduce biases.

Factors influencing advanced colorectal neoplasm anatomic site distribution in China: An epidemiological study based on colorectal cancer screening data

OBJECTIVE

Existing studies indicate that advanced colorectal neoplasms exhibit distinct clinical and biological traits based on anatomical sites. However, in China, especially for advanced colorectal neoplasms, there's limited information available on these traits. Our primary objective is to comprehensively study the characteristics of advanced colorectal neoplasm patients in different anatomical sites in China.

METHODS

We selected information from the colorectal cancer screening database in Tianjin, China, since 2010 as the study subject. We chose valid information from 3113 patients with comprehensive data and diagnosed advanced colorectal neoplasms (ANs) from a pool of 19,308 individuals to be included in the study. We then conducted further analysis to examine the correlation between these epidemiological data and tumor location.

RESULTS

Among the 3113 patients, neoplasms in the left side of the colon accounted for the largest proportion, while neoplasms in the right side of the colon had the smallest proportion, followed by rectal neoplasms. The highest proportion of advanced colorectal neoplasms was found among men. In the age group of 39-49 years old, the proportion of left late-stage advanced colon neoplasms was equal to that of right late-stage advanced colon neoplasms, while late-stage advanced rectal neoplasms increased with age. Smoking, drinking, and a history of colon cancer in first-degree relatives showed statistically significant associations with the location distribution of advanced colorectal neoplasms. A history of appendicitis, appendectomy, cholecystitis, or cholecystectomy did not significantly affect the location distribution of advanced colorectal neoplasms. However, among patients with such histories, there was a statistically significant relationship between advanced colon neoplasms on the right and those on the left and in the rectum. Similar results were observed for BMI.

CONCLUSION

Our research findings demonstrate that advanced colorectal neoplasms display unique epidemiological characteristics depending on their anatomical locations, and these distinctions deviate from those observed in Western populations. These insights contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the topic and offer valuable guidance for future research in China. We advocate for further investigations centered on the anatomical location of colorectal neoplasms to enhance the precision of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and treatment.