Predictive value of initial imaging and staging with long-term outcomes in young adults diagnosed with colorectal cancer

Purpose To evaluate how initial abdominopelvic CT findings and staging correlate with outcomes in a cohort of patients aged 18–40 years. Methods We evaluated all young adult patients at a single tertiary center diagnosed with histopathologically confirmed CRC who also had CT of the abdomen and pelvis at the time of initial diagnosis. Demographics, symptoms, CT findings, staging, treatments, and outcomes at 1 year and 5 years were recorded. Results Of 91 patients who met initial inclusion criteria, 81.8% had a mass present on CT, with an average size of 4.8 cm ± 2.9. A majority of patients were surgical stage III or IV (64.3%). Advanced AJCC stage was more common with rectal tumors and metastatic disease on initial CT ( p