Young-Onset Rectal Cancer: Presentation, Pattern of Care and Long-term Oncologic Outcomes Compared to a Matched Older-Onset Cohort

Background Recent population-based studies have highlighted a disproportionate increase in the incidence of rectal cancer among adults younger than aged 50 years. To determine whether different intervention and surveillance strategies might be needed for younger patients, the patterns of care and oncologic outcomes among adults younger than aged 50 years with rectal cancer were investigated. Methods A cohort of 333 young (65 years) patients for differences in disease pattern, treatments received, and long-term disease-free survival (DFS). Results Patient and tumor characteristics did not differ between groups except for an increased presence of signet-ring and mucinous histology in young patients. Younger patients presented with more advanced-stage disease (stages III and IV: 59.4% vs. 46.4%; p = 0.016). More young patients received sphincter-preservation procedures (63.4 vs. 55.4%; p = 0.016), radiation (61.6 vs. 42.1%; p