Actuarial survival study in patients with colorectal cancer, treated in the oncology unit of Hospital Eu-genio Espejo, Quito, period 2010 - 2016

Original Research

Abstract

Introduction: The five-year relative survival for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) is between 60% in North America and 40% or less in Algeria and Estonia. The objective of this study is to establish survival at the local level and determine the associated factors in a study of a national referral center in Quito, Ecuador.

Methodology: The present observational study was carried out at the Eugenio Espejo Specialty Hospital in the city of Quito-Ecuador, in the period from January 2010 to December 2016. Patients with colorectal cancer were included. The variables were descriptive demographic, clinical variables and mortality. The sample was non-probabilistic, census type. The mortality variable was studied with the independent clinical and epidemiological variables with actuarial survival analysis.

Results: A total of 395 patients were analyzed, 62.3% women, aged 60 years (16 to 94). 7.1% of cases referred to some type of risk exposure related to CRC. Overall survival was 56%, with a mortality rate of 7%. Cases with stage I CRC survival at 6 years of 100%, with stage II 96.5%, in stage III 84%, stage IV of 63% (P = 0.001). Patients with secondary education or higher with survival of 95% versus 88% in patients with primary education / illiterate (P= 0.048). Survival is higher in patients with early diagnosis stages (I and II) (P = 0.007).

Conclusion: Survival in the present study was associated with the level of education of the patients, the staging of the cancer, and early diagnosis, especially in patients with comorbidities. There was no evidence of a relationship with risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, presence of polyps, etc.