Surgical treatment for young patients with colorectal cancer: an analysis of 216 cases        XING Jun,DONG Xin-shu. Department of Colorectal Surgery, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150040, China
Corresponding author: DONG Xin-shu, E-mail:dxs82132079@126.com
Abstract    Objective    To investigate the clinicopathological features and surgical treatment of young patients with colorectal cancer. Methods    Between 1976 and 2007, 216 cases of histologically proven colorectal cancer who were no more than thirty years old admitted at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University were included in the study. The clinicopathological factors based on patient, operation, and tumor findings were analyzed retrospectively. Results    There were 137 male patients and 79 female patients. The rectum and sigmoid colon were the most popular sites in young patients with colorectal cancer. There were 136 patients with rectum cancer and 41 patients with sigmoid colon cancer. The average distance from rectal cancer to anal verge was 4.5cm. There were only 13 patients with right hemicolon cancer. Thirty three patients had complicated diseases before operation, such as intestinal obstruction, intestinal perforation and serious hemophthisis. One hundred and fifty nine patients performed radical excision while 57 patients were performed palliative resection. The 5-year surviral rate of radical excision and palliative resection was 46.4% and respectively. Thirteen patiants wrer performed emergency surgery Fifteen patients had complicated diseases after operation, such as intestinal obstruction, hemorrhage and infection. Conclusion    The rectum is the predominant site for young patients with colorectal cancers. Mucinous and signet ring cell carcinoma are two major histological categories. The young patients have poor prognosis. Operation is an ideal way to treat the young patients with colorectal cancer. The extended resection with nervous retention is the most effective operation type.