Clinical pathological and ploidic patterns of juvenile colon cancers

Details of 197 colorectal carcinomas from 180 patients were retrieved from our files, with the aim of analyzing the clinical histories and pathological parameters of all patients up to 40 years, and to support these data with the results of the DNA content analysis of tumoral cells by static cytometry. The incidence of juvenile carcinomas in our series was 7%, with a high percentage (38%) of cases associated with preneoplastic conditions. Our findings show a higher frequency of mucinous (21.5%), poorly differentiated (55%) and diploid (29%) neoplasias with a higher incidence of carcinomas localized in the right colon (50%) in young patients than found in elderly one. However, juvenile carcinomas did not differ significantly from neoplasias in the elderly population, because some pathological parameters considered as unfavourable prognostic factors in the formers (e.g. increased incidence of mucinous and poorly differentiated carcinomas) are "balanced" by features suggesting a good outcome (e.g. higher frequency of diploid neoplasias).