Differences between colorectal cancer in Egypt and the Western prototype

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to review patients with colorectal cancer presented to a general surgery unit with special interest in coloproctology in Ain-Shams University concentrating on the differences between the pattern of the disease in Egypt and western countries. The study is a six-year retrospective review of one hundred and fifty-five patients with colorectal cancer. The results showed that 38% of the tumors occurred in patients less than 40 years and only 15% of patients were above 60 years of age. 3% of the tumors were Dukes A and 58% were Dukes C. 6% of the tumors were irresectable, 36% of the resections were palliative and 29% of curative operations entailed massive resection of nearby organ or tissue. Synchronous adenomas were present in 5.2% of patients and bilharziasis in 3.2%. At a mean follow up of 52 months, 58% of curative resection patients had recurrence, 38% died of their disease or secondary to its treatment and 42% were alive and disease free