Clinico-pathological profile of colorectal cancer in first two decades of life: A retrospective analysis from tertiary health center.

AIM: This retrospective observational study was done to analyze age, gender, site of primary tumor and histological characterstics in patients of colorectal carcinoma in the first two decades of life.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: A total of 373 patients of colorectal patients were registered in the Department of Radiation Oncology from January 2010 to December 2015. Patients who were <20 years of age were analyzed for clinicopathological characteristic.

RESULTS: In our study, a total of 29 out of 373 patients (7.75%) were ≤20 years. Male to female distribution was 2.2:1. Younger age group presented with advanced Stage III and IV 58.62% and 10.34% patients, respectively. Only 9 (30.5%) patients were of Stage I and II. The most common involved site was rectum in 21 (72.41%) patients, followed by rectosigmoid involvement in 5 (17.24%).

CONCLUSIONS: Colorectal carcinoma in young adults is usually locally advanced or metastatic. Therefore, the diagnosis of CRC should be done at early and curable stage. Bleeding per rectum in a younger age group should not be ignored but must be properly evaluated.