Young-onset colorectal cancer: A call for action.

Abstract

10563 Background: Young-onset colorectal cancer (YOCR) is defined as diagnosis below the age of 50. Over the past decades, the incidence of YOCRC has increased at an alarming rate, but causes and pathogenesis still remain unknown. Early detection of colorectal cancer (CRC) has demonstrated to improve survival. Despite these facts, adults < 50 years old are not yet included in screening programs and YOCRC is not well characterized. We aimed to characterize the clinical and molecular characteristics of YOCRC in patients (pts) diagnosed at our institution. Methods: Consecutive pts with a diagnosis of CRC below the age of 50 visited for the first time at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital in Spain between January 2017 and October 2020 were included in the analysis. Data of clinicopathologic features and treatment were collected retrospectively from medical records. Results: 205 pts met the inclusion criteria, 111 (54%) were females, 8 (4%) presented a personal history of cancer at diagnosis and 109 (53%) a family history of cancer. Age at diagnosis was: < 30: 10 (5%), {30 – 40): 52 (25%), {40-45): 51 (25%), {45-50): 92 (45%). Site of primary tumor was: right colon: 50 (24%), left colon: 107 (52%): rectum: 48 (24%). Stage at diagnosis was I: 3 (1%), II: 14 (7%), III: 60 (29%), IV: 128 (63%). 6 of 14 (43%) and 44 of 60 patients (73%) with stage II and III CRC presented disease progression after initial treatment, respectively. Molecular status was: KRAS mutation: 74 (36%), NRAS mutation: 7 (3%), BRAF mutation: 12 (6%), MSI-H: 12 (6%). 43 pts (21%) had documentation of genetic counseling. Median (range) number of lines of treatment for metastatic disease was 3 (1-7), 53 pts (30%) received at least 4 lines of treatment. Median (range) number of metastatic sites was: 2 (1-6). 114 patients (55.6%) had died at the cut-off timepoint. Conclusions: YOCR is usually diagnosed with a more advanced stage than standard-onset CRC, with a poorer course of the disease. Further studies in young adults with CRC should address this phenomenon to understand the underlying causes, and prioritize genetic counseling. Our results support the unmet need of initiating screening programs in adults younger than 50 years, the urgency for a global consensus and a call for action.

Survival Outcome in Early-Onset Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Multicenter-Matched Pair Analysis

“…Previous studies comparing outcomes between eo-CRC and ro-CRC have reported conflicting results. Some suggested worse survival among early-onset CRC patients, while the majority reported similar prognosis [9,10,[20][21][22][23]]. An analysis of the National Cancer Database reports that the impact of age as a positive prognostic vanishes with rising tumor stage.…”