Outcomes of 556 consecutive patients with stage I-III colon cancer managed in a single center over 10 years

BACKGROUND: The Bank of Cyprus Oncology Center is the largest cancer center in Cyprus, providing standalone oncology services to a population of just under a million. METHODS: The aim of the study was to calculate disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) for consecutive patients with stage I-III colon cancer over a 10-year period, by collecting retrospective data from patients’ medical charts. RESULTS: We identified 556 patients with a median age at diagnosis of 67 (range 18-88). The majority of them were male (60%). Just over half of stage II patients received chemotherapy: capecitabine (44%) and FOLFOX/CapeOx (7%). Treatment administered in stage III was as follows: CapeOx (48%); FOLFOX (28%); capecitabine (12%); 5-fluorouracil (4%); and 8% received no treatment. DFS at 5 years was: stage I 90%; stage II 85%; and stage III 69%. Cancer-specific OS at 5 years was: stage I 94%; stage II 93%; and stage III 81%. Favorable outcomes were also maintained at 10 years (stage I 94%; stage II 84%; and stage III 70%). On multivariate analysis, only stage was statistically significant as a prognostic factor, whereas high-risk features (pT4±pN2), disease location (right vs. left), and age >70 years old did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Despite our country’s fragmented healthcare system, with multiple referring surgeons from the private and public sectors, the outcomes achieved were highly consistent with those published in the international literature. This can be attributed to optimal multidisciplinary management and follow-up care.