FY24 Early Adult Onset Colorectal Cancer Study C4597

Specific Aims: Aim 1 - Use data from the Kentucky Cancer Registry to determine which Kentucky residents are more likely to be diagnosed with EAO CRC by race, gender, and place; and to determine if there are differences in stage at diagnosis among EAO CRC cases by race, gender, and place. Aim 2 - Use data from the Kentucky Cancer Registry to determine whether EAO CRC is associated with specific co-morbidities, found more often in the distal and rectal areas compared to the proximal area of the colon, and/or have more aggressive cell types by age, race, gender, and place. Aim 3 - Use data from the Kentucky Cancer Registry to construct a multivariable logistic regression model to determine how each of these factors are associated with EAO CRC while controlling for all of the other demographic and clinical variables in the model and construct a multivariable proportional hazards model to determine how each of these factors are associated with the survival of EAO CRC cases while controlling for all of the other demographic and clinical variables in the model. Methodology: Currently there is no standard definition of EAO CRC. Previous studies have used different definitions of EAO CRC. Most studies have defined EAO CRC as any case diagnosed before the age of 50. One study used any CRC case diagnosed at less than age 55 as the definition of EAO CRC and a few studies have used any CRC case diagnosed at less than age 45 as the definition.5 For this project we intend to define EAO CRC as any CRC case diagnosed before age 50. All cases used in this study will be drawn from the Kentucky Cancer Registry which is the official population-based registry for the Commonwealth. All primary CRC cases who were less than age 50 at the time of diagnosis; who were diagnosed between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2019; and who were residents of Kentucky at the time of diagnosis will be included in this study. All statistical tests will be performed using SAS version 9.4 and all statistical tests will be two sided with a significance level (α) of P < 0.05.6 It is anticipated that it will take 9 months to complete all aspects of this project.