Stage at diagnosis of colorectal cancer through diagnostic route: Who should be screened?

Table 1 Characteristics of the patients and colorectal lesions according to diagnostic routes in two hospitals

Variable	Follow-up group (n = 715)	Symptomatic group (n = 1064)	Cancer screening group (n = 304)
Age (median, IQR)	74 (68-79)	71 (62-78)	64 (56-71)
Sex, male, n (%)	444 (62.1)	559 (52.5)	172 (56.6)
Right side, n (%)	318 (44.5)	302 (28.4)	96 (31.6)

Follow-up group: Patients with cancer detected during follow-up for other comorbidities; symptomatic group: Patients with complaints associated with colorectal cancer-related symptoms; cancer screening group: Patients detected by screening or medical check-up. IQR: Interquartile range; Right side: Tumors from the cecum to the splenic flexure.

Table 2 Characteristics of the patients and colorectal lesions according to diagnostic routes at each hospital

Variable	KU			WMC
	Follow-up group (n = 271)	Symptomatic group (n = 480)	Cancer screening group (n = 128)	Follow-up group (n = 444)	Symptomatic group (n = 584)	Cancer screening group (n = 176)
Age (median, IQR)	72 (66-79)	69 (59-76)	64 (54-70)	74 (69-79)	72.5 (64.3-80.0)	64.0 (56.3-71.8)
Sex, male, n (%)	168 (62.0)	251 (52.3)	71 (55.5)	276 (62.2)	308 (52.7)	101 (57.4)
Right side, n (%)	116 (42.8)	125 (26.0)	41 (32.0)	202 (45.5)	177 (30.3)	55 (31.3)

KU: Kyoto University Hospital; WMC: Japanese Red Cross Wakayama Medical Center.

Table 3 Stage distribution of colorectal cancer by diagnostic route in two hospitals, n (%)

Tumor stage	Follow-up group (n = 715)	Symptomatic group (n = 1064)	Cancer screening group (n = 304)
Stage 0	216 (30.2)	92 (8.7)	81 (26.6)
Stage I	194 (27.1)	162 (15.2)	100 (32.9)
Stage II	106 (14.8)	240 (22.6)	39 (12.8)
Stage III	109 (15.2)	297 (27.9)	54 (17.8)
Stage IV	90 (12.6)	273 (25.7)	30 (9.9)
Early-stage	410 (57.3)	254 (23.9)	181 (59.5)

Follow-up group: Patients with cancer detected during follow-up for other comorbidities; symptomatic group: Patients with complaints associated with colorectal cancer-related symptoms; cancer screening group: Patients detected by screening or medical check-up. Early stages: 0 and I.

Table 4 Stage distribution according to diagnostic routes at each hospital, n (%)

Tumor stage	KU			WMC
	Follow-up group (n = 271)	Symptomatic group (n = 480)	Cancer screening group (n = 128)	Follow-up group (n = 444)	Symptomatic group (n = 584)	Cancer screening group (n = 176)
Stage 0	62 (22.9)	22 (4.6)	20 (15.6)	154 (34.7)	70 (12.0)	61 (34.7)
Stage I	89 (32.8)	82 (17.1)	50 (39.1)	105 (23.7)	80 (13.7)	50 (28.4)
Stage II	39 (14.4)	113 (23.5)	14 (10.9)	67 (15.1)	127 (21.8)	25 (14.2)
Stage III	43 (15.9)	120 (25.0)	23 (18.0)	66 (14.9)	177 (30.3)	31 (17.6)
Stage IV	38 (14.0)	143 (29.8)	21 (16.4)	52 (11.7)	130 (22.3)	9 (5.1)
Early-stage	151 (55.7)	104 (21.7)	70 (54.7)	259 (58.3)	150 (25.7)	111 (63.1)

KU: Kyoto University Hospital; WMC: Japanese Red Cross Wakayama Medical Center.

Table 5 Univariate and multivariate analyses of early-stage detection rate comparing follow-up group vs symptomatic group and cancer screening group

Variable	Early-stage detection rate (%)	Univariate		Multivariate
		cOR (95%CI)	P value	aOR (95%CI)	P value
Follow-up group	57.3	Reference		Reference
Symptomatic group	23.9	0.23 (0.19-0.29)	< 0.001	0.23 (0.19-0.29)	< 0.001
Cancer screening group	59.5	1.09 (0.83-1.44)	0.516	1.11 (0.82-1.49)	0.493

Adjusted covariates are age, sex, and tumor location. cOR: Crude odds ratio; CI: Confidence interval; aOR: Adjusted odds ratio.