Amir Khan, MD, surgical oncologist, City of Hope, discusses a large retrospective database analysis on colorectal cancer (CRC) and gastric cancer presented at the 2020 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.

The study looked at patients who had a diagnosis of gastric cancer or CRC between the ages of 18 and 90 from 2000 to 2012 within the California Cancer Registry, which is linked to an inpatient database within California, explains Khan. The basic dataset covered younger and older adults in both malignancies.

The study examined close to 120,000 patients in the CRC group and nearly 20,000 patients in the gastric cancer group. A univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to look for differences between the younger and older patients in terms of demographic features, clinical features, and histopathologic characteristics of their tumors, as well as survival outcomes, says Khan.

There was no vague cutoff for early onset cancer in young adults and older adults. Instead, patients were stratified into 4 groups based on age: 18 to 40 years, 41 to 49 years, 50 to 64 years, and 65 to 90 years. The 3 older groups were compared with the youngest group to determine differences, concludes Khan.

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Amir Khan, MD, discusses a large retrospective database analysis on colorectal cancer and gastric cancer presented at the 2020 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.

Dr. Khan on Retrospective Analysis of Demographics in CRC and Gastric Cancer

Amir Khan, MD, surgical oncology, City of Hope, discusses trends in the overall incidence of gastric cancer and colorectal cancer (CRC).

Over the last 3 decades, the rate of gastric cancer and CRC has decreased in the general population, says Khan.

Improved endoscopy screening leading to earlier treatment intervention has contributed to this drop in CRC. In gastric cancer, better food storage practices and decreased incidence of smoking are thought to be contributing factors, explains Khan.

Despite advances in the field, a rise in gastric cancer and CRC has been reported in young adults, says Khan.

The rise in gastric cancer and CRC in this population was attributed to a rise in diabetes, obesity, and smoking. However, an analysis showed that young adults aged 18 to 40, and 41 to 49, had a lower rate of these maladies.

Additional investigation is required to determine the mechanisms behind this rise in incidence in young adults, concludes Khan.

Amir Khan, MD, discusses trends in the overall incidence of gastric cancer and colorectal cancer.

Dr. Khan on Overall Incidence of Gastric Cancer and CRC

Amir Khan, MD, surgical oncology, City of Hope, discusses the rising incidence of gastric and colorectal cancers in young adult patients.

In this analysis, researchers noted the ethnic and socioeconomic disparities between patients with these cancers. Patients who were younger (18-40 years) were also more likely to be of Hispanic ethnicity. Younger patients were also more likely to be uninsured, of low socioeconomic status, and may present with stage III or IV disease, says Khan.

Younger patients had certain histopathologic features that suggested a more aggressive disease process; this subgroup was more likely to have poorly differentiated tumors and higher-grade tumors, compared with the older population.

Amir Khan, MD, discusses the rising incidence of gastric and colorectal cancers in young adult patients.
 

Amir Khan, MD

Articles

Dr. Khan on Retrospective Analysis of Demographics in CRC and Gastric Cancer

Dr. Khan on Overall Incidence of Gastric Cancer and CRC

Dr. Kahn on Rising Incidence in Gastric and CRC in Young Adult Patients