Colorectal Carcinoma: Age & Sex Incidence and Mode of Presentation in 73 patients - a Hospital Based Study

Abstract

Seventy-three patients of colorectal cancer were treated during the last five years (Aug, 1993 to July, 1998) at Nishtar Hospital Multan. Out of these 73 patients forty (55%) were male and thirty-three (45%) were females, and male to female ratio was 1.2:1. Bleeding per rectum was the most common clinical presentation (82%), followed by Anaemia (65%), Altered bowel habit (42%), Mass left iliac fossa (20%), Mass right lilac fossa (18%), Intestinal obstruction (15%) and tenesmus (10%). Carcinoma most commonly involved rectum (40%) followed by sigmoid colon (20%) and caecum (20%). Per rectal digital examination was accurate in 75% of rectal tumours and in 35% of all large bowel tumours. Procto-sigmoidoscopy was effective in 50% of the colorectal tumours while double contrast barium enema in 75% and colonoscopy in 90% of the patients suffering from colorectal carcinoma. At initial presentation, twenty patients were in Duke’s stage A, thirty-two in Duke’s stage B, eighteen patients in Duke’s stage C, and just three patients in Duke’s stage D. Abdominoperineal resection was the most Common procedure offered to these patients followed by Right hemicolectomy (20%) and Left hemicolectomy (11%).