Does antiaggregant administration lead to early diagnosis in proximal colon cancer?

Objective: Cancers of the proximal colon are often diagnosed in advanced stages with iron deficiency anemia and nonspecific symptoms. Aspirin and clopidogrel are commonly used antiaggregant agents for various clinical conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of antiaggregant medication on the early diagnosis of proximal colon cancer.

Methods: Cases of colon cancer patients who had received curative surgical procedures between January 1, 2013 and July 31, 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical and pathological results of patients who had used antiaggregant drugs were compared to those who had not.

Results: During the studied period, 246 colorectal cancer patients underwent curative surgical procedures. Of the 67 patients with proximal colon cancer who were included in the study, 27 (40.3%) had taken antiaggregant medication. The mean age of the antiaggregant group was 67.1 years (range: 34-88 years), while it was 58.3 years (range: 34-83 years) for the non-antiaggregant group; the difference between the 2 groups was statistically significant (p=0.03). A pathological evaluation revealed that 74.1% of the antiaggregant group was in the early stages (Stage I/II: 7/13), while 42.5% of the non-antiaggregant group was in the early stages (Stage I/II: 2/15); the difference was statistically significant (p=0.011).

Conclusion: Antiaggregant medication has a positive effect on diagnosing proximal colon cancer at early stages. Patients using aspirin or clopidogrel should undergo a complete colonoscopic evaluation in the presence of gastrointestinal tract bleeding or newly developed anemia.