Number of deaths from colorectal cancer in Brazil: an epidemiological analysis

Keywords

digestive system neoplasms - gastrointestinal neoplasms - colorectal neoplasms

Introduction: The colorectal cancer, with adenocarcinoma as its most common histological type, generally develops from adenomatous polyps, which are considered precursor lesions of the neoplasm. It commonly spreads to nearby lymph nodes and progresses to liver metastases. Some of the risk factors include age, family history of colorectal cancer, sedentary lifestyle and the use of alcohol and tobacco. The disease progresses slowly with subtle symptoms, including changes in bowel habits, hematochezia and weight loss.

Objective: Analyze the number of colorectal cancer deaths in the Brazilian regions from 2012 to 2022, emphasizing the distribution by gender and age group.

Methods: An ecological study on the number of deaths from colorectal cancer between January 2012 and December 2022, based on data from the Mortality Information System (SIM) on the website of the Department of Information Technology of the Unified Health System (DATASUS). The selected variables were gender, age group, region, deaths by occurrence, ICD-10 C18 (Malignant neoplasm of the colon), and C20 (Malignant neoplasm of the rectum).

Results: During the analyzed period, 181.749 deaths from colorectal cancer were recorded, with the majority registered in the Southeast region (55.27%), followed by the South (20.35%), Northeast (14.67%), Midwest (6.62%), and North (3.07%). From 2012 to 2022, the number of deaths rose steadily, with a growth rate of 47.19%. There was a slight predominance of deaths among females (50.62%). Regarding age group, the peak of deaths was recorded between 60 and 79 years (50.54%), followed by 40 to 59 years (23.76%), over 80 years (22.13%), and finally under 40 years (3.54%).

Conclusion: The increasing number of colorectal cancer deaths presents a major challenge in gastrointestinal oncology, as early-stage diagnosis is difficult, and patients often seek treatment at more advanced stages. The analyzed data indicate that the Southeast region has the highest number of deaths, likely due to its high population density and urban lifestyle. There was no significant difference in death rates between genders, with peak lethality observed in patients aged 60 to 79 years. This highlights the importance of colorectal cancer screening through colonoscopy in individuals over 45 years old to detect and remove polyps early, thereby improving the chances of cure and extending survival.

Corresponding author: Marcelle Alves Torres da Silva (e-mail: [e-mail]).

 

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No conflict of interest has been declared by the author(s).

Publication History

Article published online:
06 May 2025