OBJECTIVES: To summarize the epidemiological characteristics, and treatment patterns of Colombian patients with metastatic colorectal between 2015 and 2022

METHODS: An observational, secondary data collection, retrospective longitudinal study was conducted. The patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were identified using the International Code Diseases 10th version. The index date was defined as the time when the patient was diagnosed between 2015 to 2022. The source of the data was electronic health reports of the Health Management Organization which include medical records, images, laboratories, and claim databases. Demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment at the baseline was abstracted.

RESULTS: Four hundred twenty-nine patients were included in the study. The mean age was 61.0 (Standard deviation 12.4). Female were identified in 52.7%. Fifty percent of patients were diagnosed with colorectal cancer in IV stage. Approximately 85% of patients have only 1 metastases, being the liver (57.1%) and lung (25.2%) the main sites of metastases. At histological level, 78.1% were adenocarcinoma. In the patients with information (53%) with localization of primer tumor was mainly rectum (56.8%), sigmoid colon (21.6%), and ascending colon (11.0%). The prevalence and incidence of metastatic colorectal cancer tends to increase every year. In 2022, prevalence was 49 cases (Confidence interval (CI) 95% 4.2 - 5.6) per 100 000 persons. It was slightly more frequent in men than women and persons between 65-74 years. In terms of incidence in the same year, it was 2.7 cases (2.2 – 3.2) per 100 000 persons being more frequent in the person older than 65 years old. The treatments in first line were 39.0% chemotherapy, 23% chemotherapy in combination with bevacizumab and 31.0% of patients were treated with palliative treatment as first option.

CONCLUSIONS: Metastatic colorectal cancer patients have been more frequent in the Colombian population being chemotherapy or palliative the first option of treatment during the years of study.