Global burden of colorectal cancer: epidemiology, risk factors

Abstract

A few decades ago, colorectal cancer (CRC) was diagnosed much less frequently. It is currently the fourth and in some countries the third most lethal cancer in the world, with about one million deaths each year. Most colon tumors develop as a result of a multistep process involving a number of histological, morphological and genetic changes, the frequency of detection of which increases with the age of the patient. Timely screening aimed at identifying and removing precancerous neoplasms in the early stages can lead to a significant reduction in the incidence of CRC. Despite this, the currently diagnosed rate of CRC in everyday clinical practice is relatively low, however, it is predicted that with personalized, based on anamnesis, screening for CRC, the frequency of its detection will increase significantly. The practitioner needs to be aware of the risk factors leading to CRC and the various stages of disease progression in order to recommend appropriate screening strategies. The use of a surveys that includes risk factors in the collection of anamnesis will reduce economic costs and not miss a cohort of patients who need a detailed examination. The purpose of the review is to present current data on the epidemiology of CRC and risk factors contributing to the occurrence of CRC. A literature review of articles (original studies and reviews) published between 2016 and February 2022 on the study of risk factors for CRC was performed. The methods of bibliographic, informational and semantic search of sources in the databases of Google PubMed, Scopus were used. The article discusses in detail the epidemiology and highlights the modified and non-modified risk factors for CRC, including within different age categories. Data on early CRC in young people are presented in detail and carry clinical and molecular features, as well as the role of the hereditary factor in development.