Association of Colorectal Carcinoma with Metabolic Diseases; Experience with 138 Cases from Kelantan, Malaysia

Objective: Kelantan in Malaysia has a high prevalence of diabetes and colorectal cancer is also on the rise.This study is to determine the association of metabolic diseases, particularly diabetes type 2 [DM2] andhypertension, with colorectal cancer patients in our population.
Methods: This retrospective study was conductedon all colorectal carcinomas in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) in Kelantan from ythe ears 2001-2006. The data were retrieved from the Registry in Pathology laboratory and the clinical details from the patients’clinical records and analyzed using SSPS Version 12.0, with a value of p<0.05 taken to be statistically significant.
Results: 138 CRC cases with complete clinical records were included. The age ranged from 16.0 to 88.0 years,with a mean of 56.9 -/+ SD 15.4. The male 90(65%) to female 48(35%) ratio was 1.7:1.0 and 47.8% weresuffering from metabolic diseases; 18(13.0%) with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2(DM2), and 48(34.8%) withhypertension (HT). Diabetes Type 2 and hypertension also demonstrated significant association [p<0.05] withthe stage and the site of the cancer. Patients with diabetes type 2 88.8%(16/18) and Hypertension 85.4% (41/48)were strongly associated with cancers located in the distal to transverse colon [p<0.001].
Conclusion: There is ahigh proportion of metabolic diseases; hypertension and diabetes type 2 among colorectal carcinomas seen inKelantan population. In this preliminary study we noted a strong association of metabolic diseases with thestage and site of the cancer. To reduce CRC incidence, the high prevalence of DM2 in Kelantan needs to beaddressed.