Colorectal cancers examined in the pathology lab of the Faculty of Health Sciences 2094B of the Abdou Moumouni University of Niamey: Epidemiological and pathological aspects.

Abstract

Introduction: Primary colorectal cancers (CRC) are malignant tumors arising from the stem cells of the colon and rectum. The objective of this study was to investigate the epidemiological and histopathological characteristics of colorectal cancers diagnosed in Niamey. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection spanning 8 years (January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2019), conducted at the histopathology laboratory of the Faculty of Health Sciences (FSS) at the Abdou Moumouni University (UAM) in Niamey. All histopathological reports with a confirmed histological diagnosis of primary CRC were included in the study. Results: Fifty cases of CRC were identified, accounting for 36.8% of all gastrointestinal cancers. The cohort consisted of 27 men and 23 women (sex ratio = 1.17). The mean age of the patients was 48.7 years (range: 10 to 83 years). Intestinal obstruction syndrom was the most frequently reported clinical presentation in 40% of cases, followed by rectal bleeding in 28%, and a rectal mass in 16%. Rectal localization accounted for 40% of cases. Adenocarcinoma was the histological type in 98% of cases. The tumor was at the pT3 stage in 83.3% of cases. Conclusion: Colorectal cancers represent a public health challenge in Niger, frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage and affecting young adults. Further research on CRC is required to determine the genetic and molecular characteristics of these tumors, which underpin modern targeted therapies, in order to improve prognosis in our setting.