Trends in incidence of colorectal cancer in Jewish and Arab populations in central Israel.

Background/aims: To compare the current differences with our earlier findings on the incidence and locations of colorectal cancer (CRC) among Israeli-born Jews and Arabs living within the same central coastal region in Israel.

Methods: Data on demographics and the incidence and locations of malignancies were retrieved from hospital files of pathology-diagnosed patients with CRC throughout 1997-2003 and compared with equivalent data from 1988 to 1996.

Results: Of the 624 patients recently diagnosed as having CRC, 562 (90.1%) were Jews and 62 (9.9%) were Arabs (p < 0.001). The average age of the entire cohort was significantly lower since our earlier study (72.9 +/- 12.5 compared to 67.9 +/- 12.7 years, p < 0.0001). The Jewish patients were significantly younger (p < 0.0001) but the Arab patients were not. The percentage of the adenocarcinoma being located in the right colon was significantly lower (p < 0.0006) and significantly higher in the rectum (p < 0.008). The reverse was true among the Jewish patients, but not significantly.

Conclusions: Both study groups were younger than those in our earlier study. The lower incidence of CRC among the Arab patients persisted over time, but the location of their adenocarcinoma changed significantly. The increased incidence of CRC in 'westernized' countries is reflected in the Jewish but not the Arab community.