Association between age and synchronous liver metastasis in female colorectal cancer patients

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between age and synchronous liver metastasis in female colorectal cancer patients.

Clinical and pathological data from 655 consecutive female patients who were treated in Qilu Hospital from January 2000 to January 2010 were reviewed. First, the patients were divided into two groups: 60 years or younger and 61 years or older. A chi-square test was adopted to analyse the difference in clinicopathological characteristics between the two groups. Then, they were classified into two groups according to liver metastasis. Univariate analysis and logistic multivariate regression analysis were adopted to discriminate risk factors of liver metastasis.

The chi-square test demonstrated that significant difference existed between the younger and the older groups in terms of liver metastasis (P < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001), tumour localization (P < 0.001), tumour invasion depth (P < 0.001), type of tumour (P < 0.001), tumour cell differentiation (P < 0.001) and venous invasion (P < 0.001). Univariate analysis demonstrated that seven factors are associated with liver metastasis. Logistic regression analysis indicated that age (P = 0.005), tumour size (P < 0.001), tumour invasion depth (P = 0.001), tumour cell differentiation (P = 0.029) and type of tumour (P < 0.001) are independent risk factors of liver metastasis.

The liver metastatic potential of colorectal cancer may be different between younger and older female patients. Age may independently influence liver metastasis in female colorectal cancer patients.