WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Samid Qais Mahmood* and Emad Ali Mohammed

ABSTRACT

Background: Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers. The epidemiology of colorectal cancer varies significantly; developed countries are more likely to have it than low- and middle-income countries. But because of environmental changes and westernization, the incidence is rising in developing countries. Colonoscopy is important because it enable the physicians from detection of cancer at early stages. Objectives: To describe the colonoscopy findings of patients who attend Al Salam Teaching hospital in Mosul/ Iraq, highlighting characteristics of colorectal cancer with regard to demographics, clinical, and pathologic features. Methods: An observational, descriptive, prospective case series study done at endoscopy unit- Al Salam Teaching Hospital in Mosul/Iraq. The colonoscopy was done by the investigator to available patients how attend endoscopic unit of Al Salam Teaching Hospital between 1st of July 2023 to the end of December 2024. The Questionnaire was composed of three parts, the first included demographic information of the patients, the second for colonoscopy findings and the third for details of patients’ comorbidities. Results: The study participants were 334; sixteen patients were excluded before doing colonoscopy because they do not meet inclusion criteria. The remaining 318 patients were doing colonoscopy. Of them 150 patients were excluded due to benign or normal colonoscopy findings. Among the 168 patients with abnormal findings, 94 (55.95%) patients were males, with male to female ratio is 1.27:1. The mean age for the study participants was 53.75 ± 14.26 years. 109 (64.88%). The mean BMI of the study participants was 26.72 ± 5.13. Active smoking was present among 51 (30.35%) patients. The study found that the rectum is the commonest site of tumor, the average tumor size at time of diagnosis is 5.24 cm, mostly of invasive adenocarcinoma type, with moderate differentiation and having positive lymph node involvement or metastasis to other organs. Conclusion: The majority of cases occur in males, after the age of 50 years for both males and females, in those who live in urban areas. Colonoscopy is very important in diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma at different times of cancer presentation.