Autoimmune and Metabolic Diseases and the Risk of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer, a Nationwide Nested Case-Control Study.

Incidence of early-onset (<50 years) colorectal cancer (EOCRC) is increasing in developed countries. The aim was to investigate autoimmune and metabolic conditions as risk factors for EOCRC. In a nationwide nested case-control study, we included all EOCRC cases in Sweden diagnosed during 2007-2016, together with controls, matched for birth year, sex, and county. Information on exposure of autoimmune or metabolic disease was collected from the National Patient Register and Prescribed Drugs Registry. Hazard ratios (HR) as measures of the association between EOCRC and the exposures were estimated using conditional logistic regression. In total, 2626 EOCRC patients and 15,756 controls were included. A history of metabolic disease nearly doubled the incidence hazard of EOCRC (HR 1.82, 95% CI 1.66-1.99). A sixfold increased incidence hazard of EOCRC (HR 5.98, 95% CI 4.78-7.48) was seen in those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but the risk increment decreased in presence of concomitant metabolic disease (HR 3.65, 95% CI 2.57-5.19). Non-IBD autoimmune disease was not statistically significantly associated with EOCRC. IBD and metabolic disease are risk factors for EOCRC and should be considered in screening guidelines.

Hereditary evaluation and genetic counselling in young individuals with colorectal cancer in a population-based cohort.

AIM: Early-onset colorectal cancer should raise suspicions of a hereditary colorectal cancer (CRC) syndrome, including Lynch syndrome (LS) and Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP). Collection of family history and genetic counselling (GC) is mandatory but previous studies have revealed low awareness of hereditary CRC among clinicians why there has been an incentive to implement universal LS screening. In this population-based cohort study, we aimed to observe the uptake of GC in the Swedish South-Eastern medical care region for young CRC patients and to investigate the frequency of patients diagnosed with LS. METHODS: Patients below 50 years of age diagnosed with CRC between 2008 and 2017 were identified from the national Swedish Colorectal Cancer Registry. Medical records were reviewed regarding family history, co-morbidity and referral for GC, with a follow-up time of at least three years. RESULTS: The analysis included 278 patients with 287 tumours, 108 (38%) located in rectum and 179 (62%) in colon. One hundred sixteen (42%) individuals were referred to the Regional Clinical Genetics service, whereof 74 (27%) underwent complete investigation. Thirteen (18%) patients were identified with a mutation, eleven (15%) had LS and two (3%) FAP. The remaining 61 (82%), without proven mutation, were considered as familial CRC. Younger age correlated with a higher chance of referral for GC. CONCLUSION: The study found that only a minority of young CRC patients underwent genetic counselling, contrary to clinical guidelines. Hereditary CRC is therefore probably underdiagnosed even among young individuals.