Does the Sequence of Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis Matter for Patients with Multiple Primary Cancers? A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Database Cohort Study.

Abstract

Background: We aimed to assess features and outcomes of isolated primary colorectal cancer (CRC) compared to CRC presenting in a sequence of multiple primary cancers.

Methods: A retrospective cohort including patients with stage I-IV colorectal adenocarcinoma from the SEER database (2000-2020) was assessed. Patients were classified into three groups: A: CRC as the only malignancy, B: CRC as the first of multiple primary malignancies, C: CRC as the second of multiple primary malignancies. Primary outcomes were overall (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS).

Results: From our sample of 592,063 patients, 424,920 (71.8%), 70,432 (11.9%), and 96,711 (16.3%) were in Groups A, B, and C, respectively. Group A patients were younger (65.7 vs. 67.3 vs.72.6 years, p<0.001), had elevated pre-treatment CEA (49.7% vs. 43.2% vs. 46.9%, p<0.001), more frequent liver metastases (17.5% vs. 7.4% vs. 12.1%, p<0.001), more frequent lung metastases (6.3% vs. 2.5% vs. 4.2%, p<0.001) and systemic adjuvant treatments (10.4% vs. 8.9% vs. 5.8%, p<0.001). Group A included more T4 tumors (14.5% vs. 10.4% vs. 12.4%, p<0.001) and less surgical treatments than Groups B and C (86.4% vs. 94.8% vs. 88.1%, p<0.001). Group B included more males (57.1% vs. 51.8% vs. 53.1%, p<0.001) and left-sided CRC (37.9% vs. 37.1% vs. 32.2%). Group C entailed more right-sided CRC (38.6% vs. 33.1% vs. 35.3%). Group B had the longest OS and CSS (50.4 and 51.3 months).

Conclusion: CRC presenting as the first of multiple primary malignancies less often presented at an advanced stage, more often underwent surgical treatment and was associated with improved OS and CSS than CRC presenting as an isolated primary or second primary malignancy.