COLORECTAL CANCER IN YOUNG PATIENTS IN THE BRAZILIAN UNIFIED HEALTH SYSTEM (SUS): A COMPARATIVE STUDY ACROSS DIFFERENT REGIONS OF BRAZIL

Introduction Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the 4th most common cancer in Brazil. Although traditionally diagnosed after the sixth decade of life, an increasing percentage of cases is being identified in young patients under 50 years of age.

Objective To evaluate the geographic and temporal patterns of young patients (20-49 years old) with CRC treated surgically through the Unified Health System (SUS) in different regions of Brazil.

Method The data from the “Oncology Panel” of DataSUS was used to collect information on the number of CRC patients (considering ICD codes C18 to C21), geographic distribution, gender, age group, and treatment initiation time. The Brazilian regions were categorized into North, Northeast, Southeast, South, and Midwest. Statistical analysis were performed using SPSS software.

Results Between 2013 and 2023, 12,659 young patients underwent surgery for CRC in Brazil, with an increase from 508 cases in 2013 to 1,807 cases in 2023. A statistically significant growth was observed (p<0.001), and a strong positive correlation was found between the number of cases and the years evaluated (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.883). The age group of 40-49 years represented the largest proportion of cases (37.2%), while the 20-29 age group had the smallest proportion (6.9%). All age groups showed statistically significant growth. Only 6.42% of patients were operated on more than 60 days after diagnosis. Regionally, growth patterns followed the national trend, with the Southeast and South regions leading with 5,485 and 3,319 patients, respectively, while the North region had 385 patients in the studied period. The Northeast region was the only one that did not show a high correlation between the number of cases and the years evaluated (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.669), although it still showed statistically significant growth (p = 0.024). The North region stood out with 14.81% of patients undergoing surgery after 60 days from diagnosis.

Conclusion The increase in CRC cases in young patients in Brazil may be related to technological advancements and greater access to healthcare services. However, there is a clear regional disparity. These findings emphasize the need for public policies that promote equity in access to early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of CRC in all regions of Brazil.

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

Publication History

Article published online:
25 April 2025