Colorectal Cancer Around the World: Netherlands

In the past years the incidence of colorectal cancer in the Netherlands have doubled. The total number of new patients diagnosed with colon cancer increased from 4600 in 1989 to approximately 9800 in 2008. The number of new patients diagnosed with rectal cancer increased from 2600 to over 4400 patients. In the past few years the incidence seems to decrease.

Since 2014 the screening program for colorectal cancer has been implemented. The goal of the screening program is to reduce colorectal cancer related mortality by diagnosing the disease at an earlier stage. In 2015, patients diagnosed with colon cancer through population screening showed a more favorable stage distribution than other patients, and they more often received less invasive treatment. Of the patients diagnosed with stage I to III colon cancer in 2017, 94% have undergone surgical treatment. Sixty-three percent of the patients diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2017 received chemotherapy after surgery. Of the patients diagnosed with rectal cancer stage II and III in 2017, 72% had radiation treatment prior to surgery, 42% combined radiation therapy with chemotherapy. Of the patients diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer in 2017, 50% have been treated with systemic therapy and 23% have not undergone any tumor-targeted treatment.

In 2018, almost 84% of the patients with colon cancer surgery was performed laparoscopically and in 16% an open procedure was performed. In patients with rectal cancer these numbers were 90% and almost 10% respectively. The 5-year survival of colorectal cancer patients increased from 54% in the period 1991-2000 to 66% in the period 2011-2017. For patients with rectal cancer, the 5-year survival increased from 54% to 67% during the same periods.

The Dutch Colorectal Cancer Group (DCCG) is a collaboration between medical disciplines that are relevant for the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. Their primary goal is to improve the quality of diagnosis and treatment of patients with colorectal cancer on a national level through the initiation of clinical scientific research. In this open classroom we will discuss some of the current studies on colorectal cancer in the Netherlands.