Abstract:

Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) has become a health concern worldwide, characterized by the diagnosis of CRC in individuals under the age of 50. This study aims to determine the trends and characteristics of CRC among young adults (below 50 years of age) in Erbil Governorate, Iraq.  It was a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted at Rizgary Oncology Center, Erbil, Iraq, between January 2017 and December 2023. Data were obtained from the medical records of the included patients. Descriptive statistics were used to present the patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and tumor features.  Of 580 cases, 171 (33.0%) were classified as belonging to the 'young' age group. The majority of the cases were presented in stage III disease (57.8%) and only 5.6% were diagnosed at stage 1, younger ages were presenting with more advanced stage than old patients (p=.002). The most common site of metastasis was liver (60.9%) followed by lungs (15.2%) and bones (10.9%). The most aggressive histologies occurring in younger age group as compared to older group. The percentage of colorectal cancer among young individuals in the Erbil governorate seems to be high, in line with the global increase in early-onset CRC. Young males exhibit a higher percentage of right-sided colon cancer than females, while rectal cancer is more common in females than in males.

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