Colorectal cancer (CRC) is believed to carry a grim prognosis in young
patients. A retrospective study of patients diagnosed with colorectal
cancer at age 30 years or less between 1971 and 1994 was conducted. S
tatistical analyses were performed using non-parametric one way ANOVA
tests and logistic regression models. Sixty-eight of the patients eval
uated at our institution were suitable for this study. Risk factors we
re identified in 28% of patients. The median age at diagnosis was 27 y
ears (range 14-30 years). Fifty-six patients (82%) were Stage III or I
V at the time of diagnosis. Twenty-two of the 34 patients who underwen
t potentially curative surgery had recurring disease at a median of 12
months (range 1-43 months). At a median follow-up of 21.5 months, 54
patients had died from disease. At the time of death, abdominal carcin
omatosis and distant disease were the most common patterns of failure.
Stage of the primary tumour (P=0.0006) and recurrence (P=0.0001) were
the only variables noted to be associated with survival. The stage of
the primary tumour and whether the tumour recurred were each associat
ed with survival in patients with colorectal cancer at age 30 years or
less.