Clinico-epidemiological Profile of Colorectal Cancer in Oncology Department of Tertiary Centre Hospital in Nepal: An Observational Study

TL;DR

This study describes the characteristics of colorectal cancer patients in Nepal, focusing on age, gender, tumor location, and cancer type.

Contribution

The study provides a detailed clinic-epidemiological profile of colorectal cancer in a Nepalese tertiary hospital setting.

Findings

Middle-aged males were most commonly affected by colorectal cancer.

The rectum was the most common tumor location.

Moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma was the predominant histological type.

Abstract

Colorectal cancer is a major global health concern with variable incidence and presentation across regions. The study was aimed to describe the clinic-epidemiological profile of colorectal cancer in a tertiary care hospital in Nepal.

This observational cross-section study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Nepal from April 2021 to March 2024. Ethical clearance was obtained (Reference number: IRC/NMCTH/024/21). A total sampling method was used to include 69 patients with histologically confirmed colorectal cancer. Data were collected from patient records and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16.0. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and percentages for binary data, and mean and standard deviation for continuous data.

Out of 69 patients, 39 (56.52%) were male and 30 (43.48%) female. The most affected age group was 35-50 years, accounting for 26 (37.68%) patients. Rectum including recto-sigmoid colon was the most common tumor location in 38 (55.07%) cases. The most common presenting symptom was bowel habit change, seen in 46 (66.67%) patients. Lower anterior resection was performed in 26 (37.68%) cases. Histologically, moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma was the predominant type, found in 53 (76.81%) patients.

Colorectal cancer in this study predominantly affected middle-aged males, with the rectum being the common site and moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma the main histological type.