Colorectal Cancer in Young Adults: Epidemiological, Therapeutic, and Prognostic Aspects

Background: Colorectal cancer is increasingly diagnosed in individuals under 45. This study aimed to analyze the specific features of diagnosis and treatment in this population group. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, and retrospective study including patients under 45 years of age, of all sexes, managed at the CHU of Point G between 2016 and 2023 for histologically confirmed colorectal cancer. The parameters studied included: clinical stage at diagnosis, treatments, and therapeutic responses. Results: Out of 55 recorded cases (13.5% of digestive cancers), the majority were male (54.5%) with a mean age of 34.9 years. The main risk factors included obesity, low dietary fiber intake, smoking, and a family history of cancer (14.8%). Diagnosis was often delayed (47.3%), with an average symptom duration of 10 months due to the trivialization of symptoms. The most common histological type was adenocarcinoma (85.5%). Treatment included surgery (80%), chemotherapy (58.2%), and radiotherapy (9.1%). Remission was achieved in 3.6% of patients. The 5-year survival rate was 7.3%. The rate of patients lost to follow-up reached 58.2%. Conclusion: The study highlights a high frequency of colorectal cancer among young adults, with late diagnosis leading to a poor prognosis. This underlines the importance of raising awareness to promote early diagnosis and improve survival chances.