Prognostic factors in patients with colorectal cancer at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the 5-year survival rate and prognostic factors for survival in patients with colorectal cancer treated at the Surgical Unit, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Kelantan, Malaysia.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the records of 115 patients treated in HUSM from 1996 to 2005. Data of variables considered as prognostic factors were obtained from the records. Simple and multiple Cox proportional hazard regression using the stepwise method were used to model the prognostic factors for survival.

RESULTS

We found that the significant prognostic factors were liver metastases [adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 3.75; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.95-7.22], Dukes C stage (adjusted HR: 4.65; 95% CI: 2.37-9.11), Dukes D stage (adjusted HR: 6.71; 95% CI: 2.92-15.48) and non-surgical treatment (adjusted HR: 3.75; 95% CI: 1.26-11.21).

CONCLUSION

Colorectal patients treated at HUSM with Dukes C staging, presence of liver metastases and received treatment with both chemotherapy and radiotherapy are at the greatest risk of death from colorectal cancer.