Prognostic Factors for Left Colectomy for Colon Cancer: a Ten Years Experience of a Single University Institution

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the world. In Brazil, it is the leading cause of cancer in the gastrointestinal tract. AIM To evaluate the preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative risk factors for recurrence and overall survival of patients with left colon cancer operated during a ten-year period. METHODS Patients with left colon cancer surgically treated underwent clinical preoperative workout and cancer staging. The following factors were studied: gender, age, tumor location, T stage, lymph node yield, N stage, M stage, histological type, and tumor differentiation. It was analyzed the influence in five-year overall survival. RESULTS A total of 173 patients underwent left colectomy for colon cancer. There was a slight predominance of male gender with 50.9%. The mean age was 60.8 years old. Fifteen (8.7%) tumors were located at splenic flexure, 126 (72.8%) at sigmoid colon, and 32 (18.5%) at descending colon. The median length of hospital stay was seven days. Mean survival was 47.5 months. At 60 months seven patients (4%) lost follow-up, 38 patients (21.9%) deceased and 135 patients (78%) were alive. Overall survival time was 48 months. CONCLUSION Advanced stages (T3-T4, N+ and M+) were the only factors associated with poor long term survival in left colon cancer.