The aim of this study is to demonstrate the current panorama of colorectal cancer in a general hospital in Rio de Janeiro, focusing on aspects related to the clinical presentation and delayed diagnosis. This is a retrospective study that included patients followed at the outpatient section of colorectal cancer follow-up of the Segunda Clínica Cirúrgica do Hospital Federal Bonsucesso in the past five years (2004-2009). The most common symptoms were abdominal pain (60.1%), intestinal obstruction (41.1%), weight loss (36.7%), bleeding (33.5%), anemia (14.5%), perforation (6.3 %) and fistula (1.2%). Patients with right colon tumors presented with weight loss (54.5%), pain (45.4%), obstruction (45.4%) and anemia (27.2%). In patients with tumors of the left colon and sigmoid, the most common symptoms were pain (60.5%), obstruction (42.9%), weight loss (38.5%), bleeding (32.4%) and anemia (16.6%). Patients with rectal tumors presented with bleeding (70%), obstruction (60%), pain (60%), weight loss (20%) and perforation (10%). At surgery, 53 patients had distant metastases (33.5%), the liver being the organ most affected in 36 patients (67.9%), followed by the peritoneum in 11 cases (20.7%) and ovaries with 4 cases (7.5%). Eighty-eight patients (55.6%) had nodal metastasis. Regarding TNM staging, we found that the emergency group distribution was as follows: Stage I 0%, 28.2% Stage II, Stage III 30.4% and 41 3% Stage IV, whereas the elective group staging distribution was: 2.7% Stage I, Stage II 27.7%, 25% Stage III and Stage IV 44%. Conclusion: The profile of patients operated in our institution (which reflects the national reality) is composed mainly with patients with advanced cancer stages. Based on the data presented, it is necessary to implement a national screening program for colorectal cancer.
Colorectal neoplasia; Early diagnosis
