Epidemiological, clinical and pathological characteristics of colorectal cancer in patients treated at the Clinical Center of Tuzla University.

Aim To investigate hospital morbidity and incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the Tuzla Canton between 2000 and 2004, as well as mortality incidence and degree of disease progression. Methods A total of 383 patients were enrolled in this study, all of them with CRC. Pathohistological analyses were performed in all patients after colonoscopy. Afterwards, the patients underwent surgery and obtained material was also pathohistologically analyzed in order to perform the Astler-Coller classification and the classification of the location of CRC. Results In the period 2000-2004 in the Tuzla Canton there were 383 newly diagnosed patients with CRC. The average age of the patients was 62 +/- 12 years, and the incidence was equally distributed per genders. Rectal tumour was noted in 145 (37.9%) patients, and in 238 (62.1%) tumor was found elsewhere in the colon. Average incidence of the CRC was 15.73/100,000, with a dramatic increase in incidence in 2003 of 27.40/100,000. The average mortality incidence during the study was 6.89/100,000, and the largest number of the patients (339, 88.6%) was in an advanced stage of the disease. Conclusion There has been a significant increase in the number of newly detected cases of CRC in the Tuzla Canton during 20002004, which implies the need for initiating a National Early CRC Detection Programme.