Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026
Competing-Risk Nomogram for Predicting Cancer-Specific Survival in Multiple Primary Colorectal Cancer Patients after Surgery
Published on: September 27, 2024
Colorectal carcinoma in different age groups : a histopathological analysis
Leonardo Maciel da Fonseca1, Magda Maria Profeta da Luz, Antônio Lacerda-Filho
1Division of Colorectal Surgery, Alfa Institute of Gastroenterology-Hospital das Clínicas, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Alfredo Balena, 110. 2º andar, CEP 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. leonardomacielfonseca@gmail.com
Colorectal cancer in patients under 40 shows similar pathological features and stage compared to older adults. This suggests young patients do not necessarily have a poorer prognosis due to more aggressive cancer characteristics.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Gastroenterology
- Pathology
Background:
- Colorectal cancer (CRC) is more common in older individuals, but occurs in younger populations.
- The clinical behavior and prognosis of CRC in young patients (under 40) are not well understood.
- A common belief is that young CRC patients have a poorer prognosis due to advanced stage or aggressive features.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the histopathological features and disease characteristics of colorectal cancer in young patients versus older patients.
- To investigate the hypothesis that young patients have a poorer prognosis due to advanced-stage cancer with more aggressive pathologic features.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of colorectal cancer cases from a university hospital database.
- Categorization of patients into three age groups: young (≤40 years), intermediate (41-80 years), and old (≥81 years).
- Comparison of histopathological features including lymph node involvement, tumor grade, invasion, and TNM staging across age groups.
Main Results:
- A total of 653 colorectal cancer cases were analyzed, with the young age group comprising 7.4% of patients.
- Demographic and pathological features, including gender distribution, lymph node involvement, tumor grade, venous/neural/lymphatic invasion, and TNM staging, were similar across all age groups.
- No significant differences in aggressive pathological characteristics or disease stage were observed between young and older colorectal cancer patients.
Conclusions:
- Histopathological features of colorectal cancer in young patients are comparable to those in older patients.
- Younger patients do not exhibit more aggressive tumor characteristics or advanced disease stages compared to older counterparts.
- The study challenges the assumption of a poorer prognosis in young colorectal cancer patients solely based on disease aggressiveness.
