Tm. Aljaberi et al., COLORECTAL ADENOCARCINOMA IN A DEFINED JORDANIAN POPULATION FROM 1990TO 1995, Diseases of the colon & rectum, 40(9), 1997, pp. 1089-1094
PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate cancer of the large bowel as it o
ccurred in a defined Jordanian population, with special reference to i
ts epidemiologic aspects. Second, this study was undertaken to compare
these results with those of other countries and those previously repo
rted from Jordan. METHODS: Records of patients diagnosed as having col
orectal adenocarcinoma during a six-year period in Irbid province, Jor
dan, were reviewed. The material was analyzed retrospectively with res
pect to various epidemiologic features, and the results were compared
with those of other countries and those previously published about the
Jordanian population. RESULTS: Between January 1990 and December 1995
, 109 new patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma were managed, an inc
idence of 3.8/100,000/year. Male to female ratio was 1:1.05 for coloni
c cancer and 1.36:1 for rectal cancer. The maximum incidence was seen
in the sixth and seventh decades. A total of 12.8 percent of the patie
nts were younger than 40 years of age. The rectum was the most common
site involved in 30.3 percent of the patients, followed by the sigmoid
, right colon, and the rest of the colon. When compared with previous
Jordanian figures, a shift toward the western figures was noted. The d
elay in diagnosis was noted from the 8.2 months of delay before diagno
sis and the advanced stage of the disease at the time of diagnosis. A
total of 49.5 percent of the cases were in Dukes B stage, 30.3 percent
in Dukes C, and 19.3 percent in Dukes D. Only one patient was in Duke
s A stage. A total of 13.8 percent of the cases were mucinous adenocar
cinoma. A total of 26.5 percent of the patients presented with complic
ations. CONCLUSIONS: As for colorectal adenocarcinoma, rye still share
the epidemiologic characteristics of developing countries, but there
is a shift toward those of western communities. Flexible sigmoidoscopy
is encouraged for evaluation of lower gastrointestinal symptoms, and
education of the public and medical staff about colorectal diseases is
needed to improve the outcome.