Colorectal Cancer Trends in Younger Versus Older Adults: An Analysis from a Tertiary Cancer Centre

Young onset colorectal cancer (YOCRC) is a significant clinical problem in India. This study aims to compare the clinical and pathological characteristics of colorectal cancer in younger (< 45 years) and older (≥ 45 years) patients. A total of 964 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. The mean age of the study population was 52 ± 14 years and 568 (58.9%) were men. Of the total study population, 279 (28.8%) were under the age of 45 at the time of diagnosis. Aggressive histology, such as signet ring cell, mucinous or poor differentiation were significantly increased in the under 45 group. Younger patients as a whole were also significantly associated with increased risk of advanced T and N stage at presentation as well as increased presence of metastatic disease on initial evaluation. Younger patients with CRC are more frequently diagnosed with unfavorable histological subtypes and also present at more advanced stages, frequently with node positive and metastatic disease. These findings highlight the need for greater clinical awareness and possibly earlier screening strategies in younger populations.