Patterns of incidence of colorectal cancer in Brazil from 1990 to 2016

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has a high prevalence in both sexes. Although its incidence among the elderly is declining, some studies show an increased incidence in age group under 50 populations, an age group that is not included in the global screening protocols. However, screening the disease in a defined population at younger age groups is of paramount importance in reducing mortality rate. This is an ecological study that spans from 1990 to 2016 in Brazil aimed at knowing the incidence of this neoplasm in the Brazilian population below 50 years. Data recorded by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) revealed that patients under 50 years of age were diagnosed with invasive CRC. The results showed significant association between CRC and age groups 15 to 49 years (p<0.01) in both sexes while the association trend rose with increasing age. Also, there was a significant increase in hospitalizations for colorectal cancer in all age groups (14 to 49 years) in both sexes. Key words: Colon neoplasia, epidemiology.