Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics, treatment Methods: and prognosis of rectal cancer in patients younger than 40 years old.
Methods: From Jan, 1998 to Dec, 2003, 325 treated rectal cancer patients with complete surgical records were divided into two groups: young patients group (younger than 40 years old) 49 patients, accounted for 15.1%; middle and old patients group (older than 40years old) 276 patients, accounted for 84.9%. The clinicopathological characteristics, treatment Methods: and follow-up data were compared.
Results:Among the younger patients, cancer in middle and lower segments of rectum accouned for 79.6%(39/49), infiltrative cancer accounted for 55.1%(27/49), mucous and low-differentiated cancer accounted for 83.7%(41/49), cancer invasion of serosa occurred in 87.8%(43/49), lymph node metastasis in 75.5%(37/49), Miles operation was performed in 65.3%(32/49) and Dixon operation in 34.7%(17/49). These characteristics differewed significantly from middle-aged and old patients. And the 5-year survival-rate in youn patient group was 32.7% and in middle and old patient proup was 60.9% respectively, (P＜0.01).
Conclusions:The clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of rectal carcinoma in younger patients differs markedly from those of middle-aged and older patients, and therefore we should be more vigilant in order to discover,detect and treat the younger patient as early as possible.