Colorectal cancer: Who was diagnosed at advanced stages in Florida?

Objectives: Colorectal cancer is the second common cancer in both men and women. Although screening tests are available for early detection of colorectal cancers, nearly half of cancer cases were diagnosed at advanced stages in Florida. This study is to identify populations at risk of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer at advanced stages.

Methods: Florida cancer registry data on colorectal cancer in 2004 were analyzed for factors that may be associated with advanced stages. These factors include race, ethnicity, age, sex, urbanicity of the residential county and primary payer. For this analysis, advanced stages were regional stage and distant stage. Cancer screening was also examined using 2004 BRFSS data.

Results: In 2004, Florida reported 10,710 colorectal cancer cases among whom 50.1% were diagnosed at advanced stages. Black women had a high percent of advanced stages than did Black men. There was no sex difference among Whites. After controlling for other factors, African Americans, persons under age 40, Medicaid recipient or had no medical insurance, and lived in rural counties were likely to be diagnosed in advanced stages. These populations at risk of being diagnosed with advanced stages were less likely to have a cancer screening.

Conclusions: Colorectal cancer can be detected at early stage by periodic cancer screening tests. Being diagnosed at advanced stages for colorectal cancer is associated with socio-demographic factors discussed in this study. Efforts need to be made to improve breast and colorectal cancer screening among populations at risk of being diagnosed at advanced stages.