Lai Y, Ye YF, Lin Y, Yu YF, Chen QK. Retrospective analysis of risk factors for leftsided vs rightsided colon cancer in a southern Chinese Han population. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2026; 18(9): 121675 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.121675]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Ying Lin, Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No 107 Yanjiangxi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China. linwy@mail.sysu.edu.cn
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Oncology
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Lai Y, Ye YF, Lin Y, Yu YF, Chen QK. Retrospective analysis of risk factors for leftsided vs rightsided colon cancer in a southern Chinese Han population. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2026; 18(9): 121675 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.121675]
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Sep 15, 2026; 18(9): 121675 Published online Sep 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.121675
Retrospective analysis of risk factors for leftsided vs rightsided colon cancer in a southern Chinese Han population
Yu Lai, Yan-Fang Ye, Ying Lin, Yun-Fang Yu, Qi-Kui Chen
Yu Lai, Ying Lin, Qi-Kui Chen, Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
Yan-Fang Ye, Division of Clinical Research Design, Clinical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
Yun-Fang Yu, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Pathogenesis and Precision Diagnosis and Treatment, Shenshan Medical Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shanwei 510120, Guangdong Province, China
Co-first authors: Yu Lai and Yan-Fang Ye.
Author contributions: Lai Y and Lin Y were responsible for conceptualization, methodology, resources, and writing; Lai Y were responsible for validation and investigation; Lai Y and Ye YF were responsible for software, data curation, formal analysis and project administration and they contribute equally to this study as co-first authors; Lin Y and Chen QK were responsible for writing - review, editing, visualization, and supervision; Yu YF was responsible for funding acquisition; all authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Institutional review board statement: The study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board Institutional Review Board Committee at Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University (Approved No. SYSKY-2026-377-01).
Informed consent statement: Patient consent was waived due to the retrospective nature of the study and the analysis used anonymous clinical data.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Data sharing statement: The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.
Corresponding author: Ying Lin, Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No 107 Yanjiangxi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China. linwy@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Received: April 1, 2026 Revised: April 29, 2026 Accepted: June 16, 2026 Published online: September 15, 2026 Processing time: 148 Days and 1.3 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most prevalent malignancy of the digestive system. Elucidating its etiological characteristics, risk factors, and clinical heterogeneity is pivotal to optimizing screening strategies and implementing personalized prevention. While molecular and clinical disparities between left-sided CRC (L-CRC) and right-sided CRC (R-CRC) are well-recognized, systematic investigations into their distinct risk factor profiles remain limited. The literature predominantly relies on western cohorts, with a paucity of large-scale studies on Chinese populations. Therefore, this study aimed to contribute to the insufficient data regarding risk factors for L-CRC and R-CRC among the Han Chinese population in southern China.
AIM
To identify independent risk factors distinguishing L-CRC from R-CRC and characterize the distribution of clinical tumor stages between two subtypes.
METHODS
We conducted a retrospective analysis of colon cancer cases diagnosed over five years at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital. The cohort included Han Chinese patients, native to Guangdong Province, aged 40-65 years, with confirmed colon cancer. Patients were stratified into L-CRC, R-CRC and control groups. Demographic, metabolic, and lifestyle variables were collected. Statistical analyses were performed using Welch’s t-test, χ2 test, Mann-Whitney U test, and multivariate logistic regression.
RESULTS
Our analysis revealed significant disparities between L-CRC and R-CRC regarding demographic, metabolic, and lifestyle-related risk profiles. L-CRC was independently associated with elevated body mass index, high low-density lipoprotein levels, hepatitis B virus infection, a family history of CRC or polyps, and smoking. In contrast, R-CRC showed independent associations with male sex, hypertension, and elevated triglyceride levels. Furthermore, R-CRC cases were significantly more likely to present at TNM stage IV than L-CRC cases.
CONCLUSION
Our findings underscore the importance of incorporating tumor location into risk assessment models and provide evidence characterizing the differential clinical features of L-CRC and R-CRC within the Han Chinese population.
Core Tip: This is a retrospective study that identifies distinct risk profiles for left-sided and right-sided colorectal cancer within the southern Chinese Han population. The findings reveal that screening strategies in specific location, informed by metabolic and lifestyle factors, are crucial for improving early detection and prognosis, especially in this underrepresented cohort.
