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David A Etzioni

Publications and source records attributed to David A Etzioni.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

A population-based survey of prostate-specific antigen testing among California men at higher risk for prostate carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Despite the lack of evidence demonstrating a survival benefit from prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening, its use has become widespread, organizations have encouraged physicians to discuss early detection of prostate carcinoma, and two higher risk groups have been recognized. In the current study, the authors examined whether African-American men and men who had a family history of prostate carcinoma underwent PSA testing preferentially, and patterns of test use were examined according to age, race, and other factors. METHODS: Data regarding self-reported PSA test use in the past year among men age 50 years and older without a history of prostate carcinoma (n = 8713 men) were analyzed from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey. RESULTS: The overall rate of PSA use was 43.0%. Older age, higher socioeconomic status, having a usual source of healthcare, and a family history of prostate carcinoma were the strongest predictors of testing. Higher risk African-American men age 50 years and older were no more likely to be tested than white men. Men at higher risk who had a family history of prostate carcinoma were more likely to have been tested than men who had no such family history. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of PSA use among higher risk men who had a family history of prostate carcinoma were higher compared with the rates among men without such a family history. However, PSA testing rates among higher risk African-American men were no different than the rates among lower risk white men, suggesting that some risk factors for prostate carcinoma (but not others) are associated with preferential testing. Testing in all groups was associated with access to care variables, highlighting the importance of removing barriers to preventive healthcare services.

Black or African American↗
PubMed2006

Measuring the quality of colorectal cancer screening: the importance of follow-up.

PURPOSE: As evidence mounts for effectiveness, an increasing proportion of the United States population undergoes colorectal cancer screening. However, relatively little is known about rates of follow-up after abnormal results from initial screening tests. This study examines patterns of colorectal cancer screening and follow-up within the nation's largest integrated health care system: the Veterans Health Administration. METHODS: We obtained information about patients who received colorectal cancer screening in the Veterans Health Administration from an existing quality improvement program and from the Veterans Health Administration's electronic medical record. Linking these data, we analyzed receipt of screening and follow-up testing after a positive fecal occult blood test. RESULTS: A total of 39,870 patients met criteria for colorectal cancer screening; of these 61 percent were screened. Screening was more likely in patients aged 70 to 80 years than in those younger or older. Female gender (relative risk, 0.92; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.9-0.95), Black race (relative risk, 0.92; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.89-0.96), lower income, and infrequent primary care visits were associated with lower likelihood of screening. Of those patients with a positive fecal occult blood test (n = 313), 59 percent received a follow-up barium enema or colonoscopy. Patient-level factors did not predict receipt of a follow-up test. CONCLUSIONS: The Veterans Health Administration rates for colorectal cancer screening are significantly higher than the national average. However, 41 percent of patients with positive fecal occult blood tests failed to receive follow-up testing. Efforts to measure the quality of colorectal cancer screening programs should focus on the entire diagnostic process.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Hospital utilization for injection drug use-related soft tissue infections in urban versus rural counties in California.

Drug related-soft tissue infections (DR-STIs) are a significant source of hospital utilization in inner-city urban areas where injection drug use is common but the magnitude of hospital utilization for DR-STIs outside of inner-city urban areas is not known. We described the magnitude and characteristics of hospital utilization for DR-STIs in urban versus rural counties in California. All discharges from all nonfederal hospitals in California in 2000 with ICD-9 codes for a soft tissue infection and for drug dependence/abuse were abstracted from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development discharge database. There were 4,152 DR-STI discharges in 2000 from hospitals in 49 of California's 58 counties. Residents of 12 large metropolitan counties accounted for 3,598 discharges (87% of total). The majority of DR-STI discharges were from urban safety net hospitals with county indigent programs and Medicaid as the expected payment source and opiate related discharge diagnoses. Hospital utilization for DR-STIs in California is highest in large urban metropolitan counties, although DR-STI discharges are widespread. Increased access to harm reduction services and drug treatment may reduce government health care expenditures by preventing unnecessary hospital utilization for DR-STIs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Is there a language divide in pap test use?

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether primary language use, measured by language of interview, is associated with disparities in cervical cancer screening. DATA SOURCES: We undertook a secondary data analysis of a pooled sample of the 2001 and 2003 California Health Interview Surveys. The surveys were conducted in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, and Vietnamese. STUDY DESIGN: The study was a cross-sectional analysis of 3-year Pap test use among women ages 18 to 64, with no reported cervical cancer diagnosis or hysterectomy (n = 38,931). In addition to language of interview, other factors studied included race/ethnicity, marital status, income, educational attainment, years lived in the United States, insurance status, usual source of care, smoking status, area of residence, and self-rated health status. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS: We fit weighted multivariate logit models predicting 3-year Pap test use as a function of language of interview, adjusting for the effects of specified covariates. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Compared with the referent English interview group, women who interviewed in Spanish were 1.65 times more likely to receive a Pap test in the past 3 years. In contrast, we observed a significantly reduced risk of screening among women who interviewed in Vietnamese (odds ratio [OR] 0.67; confidence interval [CI] 0.48-0.93), Cantonese (OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.30-0.66), Mandarin (OR 0.48; 95% CI 0.33-0.72), and Korean (OR 0.62; 0.40-0.98). CONCLUSIONS: Improved language access could reduce cancer screening disparities, especially in the Asian immigrant community.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

A population-based study of colorectal cancer test use: results from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey.

BACKGROUND: Recent research has supported the use of colorectal cancer (CRC) tests to reduce disease incidence, morbidity, and mortality. A new health survey has provided an opportunity to examine the use of these tests in California's ethnically diverse population. The authors used the 2001 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS 2001) to evaluate 1) rates of CRC test use, 2) predictors of the receipt of tests, and 3) reasons for nonuse of CRC tests. METHODS: The CHIS 2001 is a random-digit dial telephone survey that was conducted in California. Responses were analyzed from 22,343 adults age >/= 50 years. CRC test use was defined as receipt of a fecal occult blood test in the past year and/or receipt of an endoscopic examination in the past 5 years. RESULTS: Nearly 54% of California adults reported receipt of a recent CRC test. Insurance coverage and having a usual source of care were the most important predictors of CRC testing. Latinos age < 65 years were less likely to be tested than whites (relative risk [RR], 0.84; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.77-0.92). Men were more likely to be tested than women, an effect that was greater among individuals age 50-64 years (RR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.23-1.32) than among individuals age >/= 65 years (RR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.15-1.23). Women were more likely than men to say that their physician did not inform them the test was needed and that CRC tests were painful or embarrassing. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the current study indicate a need for physicians to recommend CRC testing to their patients. Assuring that all individuals have both health insurance and a usual source of care would help address gaps in the receipt of CRC tests.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

The increasing workload of general surgery.

BACKGROUND: With the aging of the baby boomers, individuals aged 65 years and older make up the fastest-growing segment of the US population. This aging of the population will lead to new challenges for the US health care system because older individuals are the largest consumers of health care. HYPOTHESIS: The general surgery workload will increase dramatically by 2020 as a result of the aging population. DATA SOURCES: The National Hospital Discharge Survey, National Survey of Ambulatory Surgery, US Census Bureau, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. SETTING: A nationally representative random sample of inpatient and outpatient general surgical operations performed in 1996 in the United States. METHODS: Age- and procedure-specific rates of general surgery were obtained from the National Hospital Discharge Survey and National Survey of Ambulatory Surgery. Population projections were derived from the census bureau. We used relative-value units as a proxy for surgical work. By linking these 3 data sources, we predicted the future general surgery workload by analyzing the rates of surgery and modeling both the aging and expansion of the population. RESULTS: General surgery operations (n = 63) were classified into 5 procedure categories. Whereas the population will grow by 18% between 2000 and 2020, the workload of general surgeons will increase by 31.5%. The amount of growth (19.9%-40.3%) varies among different categories of operations. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is one of the only studies to analyze the future workload of general surgery. We project a dramatic increase in workload in the next 20 years, largely as a result of the aging US population. Our baseline assumptions are relatively conservative, so this forecast may be an underestimation. Hence, the challenge for general surgeons is to develop strategies to address this problem while maintaining quality of care for our patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Do young colon cancer patients have worse outcomes?

Previous studies on colon cancer have noted rising incidence rates among young individuals and suggest that they may have more aggressive disease and worse 5-year survivals than their older counterparts. Our study uses a nationwide population-based cancer registry to analyze colon cancer presentations and outcomes in a young versus an older population. The records of patients with colon carcinoma were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) national cancer database (1991-1999). Two cohorts based on age at diagnosis (20-40 years, n = 1334 vs. 60-80 years, n = 46,457) were compared for patient and tumor characteristics, treatment, and 5-year cancer-specific survival. A multivariate Cox regression was performed to identify predictors of survival. The young group had a higher proportion of black and Hispanic patients than did the older group (p < 0.001). Young patients had less stage I or II disease, more stage III or IV disease (p < 0.001), and worse-grade (poorly differentiated or anaplastic) tumors (p < 0.001). The 5-year stage-specific survival was similar for stage I and III disease (p = NS) but was significantly better for young patients with stage II and IV disease (p < 0.01). Using a nationally representative cancer registry, we found that young colon cancer patients tend to have later-stage and higher-grade tumors. However, they have equivalent or better 5-year cancer-specific survival compared to older patients. This population-based finding contradicts prior single-institution reports.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2004

Are survival rates different for young and older patients with rectal cancer?

PURPOSE: Although it is generally believed that young patients with rectal cancer have worse survival rates, no comprehensive analysis has been reported. This study uses a national-level, population-based cancer registry to compare rectal cancer outcomes between young vs. older populations. METHODS: All patients with rectal carcinoma in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer database from 1991 to 1999 were evaluated. Young (range, 20-40 years; n = 466) and older groups (range, 60-80 years; n = 11,312) were compared for patient and tumor characteristics, treatment patterns, and five-year overall and stage-specific survival. Cox multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of survival. RESULTS: Mean ages for the groups were 34.1 and 70 years. The young group was comprised of more black and Hispanic patients compared with the older group (P < 0.001). Young patients were more likely to present with late-stage disease (young vs. older: Stage III, 27 vs. 20 percent respectively, P < 0.001; Stage IV, 17.4 vs. 13.6 percent respectively, P < 0.02). The younger group also had worse grade tumors (poorly differentiated 24.3 vs. 14 percent respectively, P < 0.001). Although the majority of both groups received surgery (85 percent for each), significantly more young patients received radiation (P < 0.001). Importantly, overall and stage-specific, five-year survival rates were similar for both groups (P = not significant). CONCLUSIONS: Although previous studies have found young rectal cancer patients to have poorer survival compared with older patients, this population-based study shows that young rectal cancer patients seem to have equivalent overall and stage-specific survival.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

A report card on outcomes for surgically treated gastrointestinal cancers: are we improving?

INTRODUCTION: Longitudinal analyses of cancer registries provide an opportunity for population-based explanations of epidemiology and survival-related outcomes. This study used two population-based data sets to report on nine surgery-related cancers over the past three decades. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the SEER cancer database (1973-1999), all patients (>18 years old) with adenocarcinoma of esophagus, gastric, biliary system, pancreas, small bowel, colon, rectum; esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESC), or hepatocellular (HCC) carcinoma (n = 379,640) were analyzed. Changes in incidence rates, stage at diagnosis, and 5-year cancer and stage-specific survivals were determined. A separate database, the California inpatient database (1990-2000), was concurrently used to evaluate inpatient mortality after surgical resection (n = 34,057). RESULTS: Incidence rates increased for three cancers (esophageal, HCC, small bowel); decreased for three (rectal, gastric, ESC); and stayed constant for three (biliary, pancreatic, colon). More patients presented with local/regional disease in the 1990s versus 1970s for eight tumors (except small bowel, P < 0.05). Five-year overall survival improved for all but small bowel (P < 0.05); and local stage survival was improved for all except small bowel and biliary (P < 0.05). Finally, inpatient mortality rates improved significantly for liver, esophageal, pancreatic, and gastric resections (P < 0.05) over the past decade. CONCLUSIONS: For these nine surgically treated cancers, we are detecting disease at earlier and therefore more treatable stages, and surgical care and outcomes also appear to have improved. Continued reexamination of longitudinal trends of surgically relevant outcomes is important for future improvement of surgical care.

Databases, Factual↗
PubMed2003

Inpatient surgery in California: 1990-2000.

BACKGROUND: The practice environment for surgery is changing. However, little is known regarding the trends or current status of inpatient surgery at a population level. HYPOTHESIS: Inpatient surgical care has changed significantly over the last 10 years. DESIGN: Longitudinal analysis of California inpatient discharge data (January 1, 1990, through December 31, 2000). SETTING: All 503 nonfederal acute care hospitals in California. PATIENTS: All inpatients undergoing general, vascular, and cardiothoracic surgery in California from January 1, 1990, through December 31, 2000, were obtained. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Volume, mean age, comorbidity profile, length of hospital stay, and in-hospital mortality were obtained for inpatient general, vascular, and cardiothoracic surgical procedures performed during the period 1990 to 2000. Rates of change and trends were evaluated for the 10-year period. RESULTS: Between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 2000, 1.64 million surgical procedures were performed. The number of surgical procedures increased 20.4%, from 135,795 in 1990 to 163,468 in 2000. Overall, patients were older and had more comorbid disease in 2000 compared with 1990. Both crude and adjusted (by type of operation) in-hospital mortality decreased from 3.9% in 1990 to 2.75% (P<.001) and 2.58% (P<.001), respectively, in 2000. Length of hospital stay decreased over the period for all operations analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: The total number of inpatient general, vascular, and cardiothoracic surgical procedures has increased over the past decade. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the outcomes of care (eg, in-hospital mortality and length of hospital stay) for patients who undergo general, vascular, and cardiothoracic surgical procedures have improved. However, continued evaluations at the population level are needed.

California↗
PubMed2003

Using volume criteria: do California hospitals measure up?

BACKGROUND: Many studies have demonstrated a significant relationship between high procedural volume and better outcomes. As the public becomes increasingly aware of this medical literature, consumer groups have collaborated with medical researchers to operationalize this body of evidence. One such organization, the Leapfrog Group, has proposed annual volume criteria for four operations: coronary bypass grafting (CABG), abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), carotid endarterectomy (CEA), and esophageal cancer resection (ECR). This study analyzes California hospitals within the context of these volume criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the California inpatient database from 2000, we identified all CABG, AAA, CEA, and ECR operations performed at metropolitan hospitals. The volume of each of the four operations was tabulated by hospital and evaluated. Comparisons were made between academic and nonacademic hospitals. RESULTS: Most hospitals in California did not meet Leapfrog's volume criteria. Only 2 hospitals of 287 (0.7%) met the volume criteria for the operations that it performed. Of the 71 (25%) hospitals that performed all four procedures, none met the volume criteria of all four procedures. In fact, only 10% of California hospitals performing these operations were high-volume hospitals based on Leapfrog's volume criteria. When comparing academic to nonacademic hospitals, academic hospitals performed more AAA operations than nonacademic hospitals (36 vs 12, P = 0.02). Although academic hospitals tended to have higher caseloads for CABG, CEA, and ECR, these did not reach statistical significance. Also, academic hospitals were more likely to be high volume for AAA (43.8% vs 7.0%, P < 0.01) and for ECR (23.1% vs 4.0%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: California's hospital system is far from being regionalized. Although academic hospitals appear better positioned than nonacademic hospitals, the vast majority of all hospitals do not meet Leapfrog's volume criteria. As efforts to use volume as a proxy measure of quality gain momentum, hospitals and physicians will be forced to measure and report quality. As such, surgeons need to decide between accepting volume as an adequate measure of quality and developing other possibly more direct and reliable methods.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed2003

Do young breast cancer patients have worse outcomes?

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have suggested that young breast cancer patients have poorer survival as compared with their older counterparts. Most of this research reflects single institution experiences that may not be representative of the population. This study was designed to determine whether young breast cancer patients have poorer survival as compared with an older cohort using a national population-based cancer registry and, more specifically, to determine whether differences in survival are caused by more advanced tumor stage, more aggressive disease, or patient-specific characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer database (1992-1998), data for all patients with a diagnosis of invasive breast cancer were extracted. Two age categories were analyzed: young group (<or=35 years old, n = 4616) and older group (50-55 years old, n = 20319). Patient demographics, 5-year survival rates, tumor characteristics (stage, grade, and receptor status), surgical treatment, and use of radiation were compared between the groups. RESULTS: Overall, young patients had worse 5-year survival when compared with the older group (74.3% vs. 85.1%). Stage for stage, the young patients also had poorer survival (except for stage IV). They present with more advanced stage disease and have more aggressive tumor characteristics, that is, higher grade tumors and more estrogen- and progesterone receptor-negative tumors. Even after controlling for patient characteristics, tumor factors, and receipt of treatment, a multivariate regression showed that young age was an independent risk factor for death (HR = 1.095). CONCLUSIONS: Young breast cancer patients have poorer outcomes, which are in part attributed to later stage disease, more aggressive tumors, and less favorable receptor status. There still appears to be other important factors, not included in our study, that are contributing to the worse outcomes for these young patients, such as socioeconomic status. Physicians need to have heightened awareness when evaluating this population, and increasingly efficacious adjuvant therapies need to be developed.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Sample size calculations in surgery: are they done correctly?

BACKGROUND: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are considered the gold standard for evidence-based clinical research, but prior work has suggested that there may be poor reporting of sample sizes in the surgical literature. Sample size calculations are essential for planning a study to minimize both type I and type II errors. We hypothesized that sample size calculations may not be performed consistently in surgery studies and, therefore, many studies may be "underpowered." To address this issue, we reviewed RCTs published in the surgical literature to determine how often sample size calculations were reported and to analyze each study's ability to detect varying degrees of differences in outcomes. METHODS: A comprehensive MEDLINE search identified RCTs published in Annals of Surgery, Archives of Surgery, and Surgery between 1999 and 2002. Each study was evaluated by two independent reviewers. Sample size calculations were performed to determine whether they had 80% power to detect differences between treatment groups of 50% (large) and 20% (small), with one-sided test, alpha = 0.05. For the underpowered studies, the degree to which sample size would need to be increased was determined. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-seven RCT articles were identified; of these, 48 (38%) reported sample size calculations. Eighty-six (68%) studies reported positive treatment effect, whereas 41 (32%) found negative results. Sixty-three (50%) of the studies were appropriately powered to detect a 50% effect change, whereas 24 (19%) had the power to detect a 20% difference. Of the studies that were underpowered, more than half needed to increase sample size by more than 10-fold. CONCLUSIONS: The reporting of sample size calculations was not provided in more than 60% of recently published surgical RCTs. Moreover, only half of studies had sample sizes appropriate to detect large differences between treatment groups.

Data Interpretation, Statistical↗
PubMed2003

The aging population and its impact on the surgery workforce.

OBJECTIVE: To predict the impact of the aging population on the demand for surgical procedures. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: The population is expanding and aging. According to the US Census Bureau, the domestic population will increase 7.9% by 2010, and 17.0% by 2020. The fastest growing segment of this population consists of individuals over the age of 65; their numbers are expected to increase 13.3% by 2010 and 53.2% by 2020. METHODS: Data on the age-specific rates of surgical procedures were obtained from the 1996 National Hospital Discharge Survey and the National Survey of Ambulatory Surgery. These procedure rates were combined with corresponding relative value units from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The result quantifies the amount of surgical work used by an average individual within specific age groups (<15 years old, 15-44 years old, 45-64 years old, 65+ years old). This estimate of work per capita was combined with population forecasts to predict future use of surgical services. RESULTS: Based on the assumption that age-specific per capita use of surgical services will remain constant, we predict significant increases (14-47%) in the amount of work in all surgical fields. These increases vary widely by specialty. CONCLUSIONS: The aging of the US population will result in significant growth in the demand for surgical services. Surgeons need to develop strategies to manage an increased workload without sacrificing quality of care.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Workload projections for surgical oncology: will we need more surgeons?

BACKGROUND: Over the next two decades, the US population will experience dramatic growth in the number and relative proportion of older individuals. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of these changes on the demand for oncological procedures. METHODS: The 2000 Nationwide Inpatient Sample and the 1996 National Survey of Ambulatory Surgery were used to compute age-specific incidence rates for oncological procedures of the breast, colon, rectum, stomach, pancreas, and esophagus. Procedure rates were combined with census projections for 2010 and 2020 to estimate the future utilization of each procedure. RESULTS: By 2020, the number of patients undergoing oncological procedures is projected to increase by 24% to 51%. The bulk of growth in procedures is derived from outpatient procedures, but significant growth will also be seen in inpatient procedures. CONCLUSIONS: The aging of the population will generate an enormous growth in demand for oncological procedures. If a shortage of surgeons performing these procedures does occur, the result will inevitably be decreased access to care. To prevent this from happening, the ability of surgeons to cope with an increased burden of work needs to be critically evaluated and improved.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Characterizing the performance and outcomes of obesity surgery in California.

Between 1991 and 2000, the prevalence of obesity increased 65 per cent. As a result, increasing research is being directed at gastric bypass (GB) surgery, an operation that appears to achieve long-term weight reduction. Despite the rapid proliferation of this surgery, the quality of care at a population level is largely unknown. This study examines longitudinal trends in quality and identifies significant predictors of adverse outcomes. Using the California inpatient discharge database, all GB operations from 1996 to 2000 were identified. Demographic, comorbidity, complication, and volume data were obtained. Complications were defined as life-threatening cardiac, respiratory, or medical (renal failure or shock) events. Comorbidity was graded on a modified Charlson score. Annual hospital volume was categorized into four groups: < 50, 50-99, 100-199, and 200+ cases. Based on these data, we calculated longitudinal trends in complication rate and performed logistic regression to identify predictors of complications. A total of 16,232 patients were included. The average age was 41 years; 84 per cent were female, and 83.5 per cent were white. The complication rate was 10.4 per cent. Between 1996 and 2000, rates of cardiac and respiratory complications decreased while rates of medical complications remained unchanged. Complications were more likely in men [odd ratio (OR) = 1.69 compared to women] and in patients with comorbidities (OR = 1.60 for each additional comorbid disease). Furthermore, when examining the effect of volume, patients at very low (< 50) and low (50-99) volume hospitals were much more likely to have complications (OR = 2.72 and 2.70, respectively) compared to patients at high-volume hospitals (200+), even after controlling for differences in case-mix. The quality of care for obesity surgery has improved between 1996 and 2000. Despite operating on patients with more comorbidity, rates of cardiac and respiratory complications have decreased. Furthermore, this study identifies three independent predictors of complications: gender, comorbidity, and hospital volume. These findings are important initial steps toward improving quality in obesity surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Rates of colon and rectal cancers are increasing in young adults.

Incidence rates for colorectal cancer are decreasing in the United States, possibly due to preventative cancer screening. Because these programs target older patients, their beneficial effects may not apply to young patients. The purpose of this study was to compare incidence rates and tumor characteristics of colon and rectal cancers for young versus older patients using a population-based cancer registry. Colon and rectal cancer patients reported in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry (1973-1999) were separately analyzed. Incidence rates over time, stage, and grade were compared for two age groups: young patients (20-40 years, n = 5383) and older patients (60+ years, n = 256,401). For older patients, colon cancer incidence remained stable while rectal cancer incidence decreased 11 per cent to 72.1/100,000 persons (P < 0.05). For the young, colon cancer incidence increased 17 per cent to 2.1 (P < 0.05), and rectal incidence rose 75 per cent to 1.4 (P < 0.05). Young patients had less localized tumors than older patients: colon (25.8% vs. 35.3%, P < 0.001); rectal (38.4% vs. 41.7%, P = 0.005). Young patients also had more poorly differentiated tumors: colon (22.2% vs. 14.7%, P < 0.001); rectal (16.4% vs. 12.3%, P < 0.001). Incidence rates for colon and rectal cancers in young patients are rising, and they have more advanced disease. Although the overall prevalence is low in this population, the increasing incidence suggests health-care providers should have heightened awareness when caring for this population.

Adult↗