Aim: To evaluate changes in colorectal cancer (CRC) survival over the last 20 years.
Methods: We compared two groups of consecutive CRC patients that were prospectively recruited: Group I included 1990 patients diagnosed between 1980 and 1994. Group II included 871 patients diagnosed in 2001.
Results: The average follow up time was 21 mo (1-229) for Group I and 50 mo (1-73.4) for Group II. Overall median survival was significantly longer in Group II than in Group I (73 mo vs 25 mo, P < 0.001) and the difference was significant for all tumor stages. Post surgical mortality was 8% for Group Iand 2% for Group II (P < 0.001). Only 17% of GroupI patients received chemotherapy compared with 50% of Group II patients (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: Survival in colorectal cancer patients has doubled over the past 20 years. This increase seems to be partly due to the generalization in the administration of chemotherapy and to the decrease of post surgical mortality.