to evaluate the risk factors and survival of colorectal cancer patients among referral centers of Ahvaz city.

a descriptive retrospective study on the files of colorectal cancer patients in Ahvaz referral centers during 2003 to 2008.

overall 199 cases included for final analysis. 61% of patients were male. Average survival rate among male and female patients were 58.37 ± 5.36 and 67.43 ± 7.01 months (P= 0.29). Smoking had a negative though nonsignificant effect on survival (47.16 vs. 65.29 months, P= 0.14). 12% of patients experienced tumor recurrence with average time of 70.6 ± 15.52 months since first diagnosis. Overall 26 patients (13%) had a positive family history of malignancy with a better prognosis in comparison with subjects with a negative family history (82.85 ± 12.95 vs. 58.13± 4.42 months, P = 0.082). The stage of colorectal cancer had a significant impact on prognosis and survival (P <0.001). Most of the participants (44%) diagnosed at stage 2 and between stages 2 and 3 there was on average 35 months less survival rate. Rate of lymph node involvement was 29% (average survival 26.57 months, P<0.001). Only 4% of cases diagnosed during screening program with a significantly better survival rate (113.8 ± 20.9 vs. 59.3 ± 4.29months, P= 0.034).

Despite proven importance of colorectal cancer screening and its positive impact of survival, our community awareness about this issue is poor and only a minority of target population participate in screening programs which mandate further cooperation of social media and press for raising general awareness.