Colorectal cancer in young adults

This retrospective study reviews our experience of the management of colorectal cancer in 481 consecutive patients. Details of presentation, surgery, Dukes staging, histological grading, recurrence and survival were analysed. We have compared patients 50 years of age and over with their younger counterparts. Thirty-six (7.5%) were less than 50 years of age. Half of the older group presented to hospital within 3 months of the onset of symptoms. Only 17.5% of the younger group presented so promptly (p less than 0.01). There was a higher proportion of younger patients with metastatic disease at the time of presentation. While there was no evidence to suggest a more aggressive surgical approach in the younger patients, 27.8% had adjuvant therapy compared with only 14.2% of the over 50s (p less than 0.05). The median survival was significantly better in the younger group (p less than 0.02).