Temporal Trends and Regional Disparities in Hospitalizations for Colon Cancer in Brazil From 2015 to 2025: A Nationwide Ecological Study

PURPOSE Colon cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and predominantly affects individuals aged 50 years and older. However, several countries, including Brazil, have reported a rising incidence among young adults in recent years. This study aimed to analyze temporal trends and regional disparities in hospitalizations for colon cancer in Brazil between 2015 and 2025 according to age group and sex. METHODS This nationwide ecological and retrospective study analyzed hospitalizations for colon cancer in Brazil between 2015 and 2025 using data from the Brazilian Unified Health System Hospital Information System (SIH/SUS), available through DATASUS. Hospitalizations associated with malignant neoplasm of the colon (ICD-10: C18) were included. Data were stratified by sex, age group (20–49 years and ≥50 years), and geographic region. Temporal trends and proportional distributions were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS A total of 553,635 hospitalizations for colon cancer were recorded in Brazil between 2015 and 2025. The number of hospitalizations increased from 36,589 in 2015 to 67,923 in 2025, representing an 86% increase over the study period. Correspondingly, hospitalization rates increased from 17.9 to 31.8 per 100,000 inhabitants between 2015 and 2025. The Southeast region accounted for the highest proportion of hospitalizations in both 2015 (47.2%) and 2025 (44.4%), whereas the North region presented the lowest proportions (1.4% and 2.1%, respectively). Individuals aged ≥50 years represented the majority of hospitalizations throughout the study period, increasing from 79% in 2015 to 83% in 2025. Although adults aged 20-49 years accounted for a smaller proportion of cases, hospitalizations in this group also increased from 7,667 to 11,251. The distribution between sexes remained relatively stable across all regions and years analyzed. CONCLUSION Hospitalizations for colon cancer in Brazil increased substantially between 2015 and 2025, predominantly among individuals aged 50 years and older. The predominance of hospitalizations in the Southeast region suggests regional disparities in disease burden. Additionally, the increase observed among younger adults highlights the growing impact of colon cancer across different age groups. Further investigation is warranted to better characterize the determinants of regional disparities and the increasing burden of colon cancer hospitalizations in Brazil.