Survival following colorectal cancer surgery in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Document Type
Article
Department
Medical College Pakistan
Abstract
Background and objectives: Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for localized colorectal cancer (CRC); however, little is known about survival outcomes following CRC surgery in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Here, we examine the available data on long-term outcomes following CRC resections in LMICs.
Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on primary research studies reporting survival data after CRC resection with curative intent in LMICs. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) data were extracted, and random effects modelling was used to estimate the pooled survival rates.
Results: One hundred and fifty-four studies representing 20,589 CRC patients were analyzed. Notably, only 27 (20%) of the 137 LMICs were represented in the literature. The pooled 5-year OS estimate was 88% (95% CI: 77-95), 76% (69-81), and 57% (49-64) for Stages I, II, and III, respectively. 5-year DFS estimates were 82% (71-90), 76% (67-84), and 59% (51-65) for stages I, II, and III, respectively. Combined OS and DFS estimates for all three stages were 76% and 69%, respectively. Survival rates varied considerably across the included studies and between income groups.
Conclusions: With the rising incidence of CRC globally, our work highlights the dearth of data on long-term outcomes following CRC operations in most LMICs and emphasizes the urgent need for research capacity building.
Publication (Name of Journal)
Journal of Surgical Oncology
DOI
10.1002/jso.70235Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Recommended Citation
Afolaranmi, O.,
Diehl, T. M.,
Virani, S. S.,
Mughal, N. A.,
Khan, S.,
Zafar, S. N.,
Christensen, L.,
Okwunze, K.,
Khan, A. H.,
Schroeder, D.
(2026). Survival following colorectal cancer surgery in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Surgical Oncology.
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/pakistan_fhs_mc_mc/621
Comments
Volume, issue and pagination are not provided by author/publisher.