Introduction: detection of early-stage colorectal carcinoma (CRC)--( Dukes A or B)--provides better survival rates in these patients. Thus, the effectiveness of screening programs in asymptomatic patients or of early diagnosis in symptomatic individuals has been postulated. The aim of this study was to establish whether a delay in diagnosis or other factors are related to CRC stage.
Patients and methods: a retrospective study was performed on 96 patients with CRC. Age at diagnosis, gender distribution, intestinal disorders, diagnosis delay, primary sign and -regarding CRC- localization, stage (Dukes) and grade of differentiation (well differentiated; non-well differentiated; poorly differentiated) were recorded.
Results: diagnosis delay was 185 +/- 190 days. Patients delay in obtaining a diagnosis was 119 +/- 158 days. In 40% of patients CRC was diagnosed at an early stage (Dukes A or B), and in 13% CRC was poorly differentiated. The only factor with an independent effect on Dukes stage was tumor differentiation (p: 0.0012). Distal location was associated with less advanced tumors without statistical significance (p: 0.156).
Conclusion: based on the presented data, a greater effort regarding screening programs for healthy people seems warranted, as improved survival has been demonstrated when diagnosis delay is reduced, particularly in patients with the highest mean delay.