Results:  The crude rate of CC in HK increased from 29.6/100 000 in 1983 to 57.1/100 000 in 2006. Age standardized

rate (ASR) increased by less than 20%. It was markedly smaller than the 190% increase in crude rate. ASR progressively increased in males. In females, ASR peaked in 1994 and declined Stem Cell Compound Library in the last decade. In most countries, the risk of CC was higher and increasing in males, but stable or decreasing in females. With respect to age, increasing risk was noted in males above 60 years old and females above 70 years old. However, a declining rate was noted in those below 50 years old. The decrease was over 40% in the 30–34 years group over the past two decades. Conclusions:  Increasing incidence of CC in HK was mostly in the older and

male population, but not in the younger age group. Increasing incidences of colorectal cancer (CC) have been noted in Asian countries.1–4 The overall prevalence of advanced colorectal neoplasm in asymptomatic Asians was also comparable to other developed countries.5 Some studies had shown a recent decrease in age-standardized rate (ASR), especially in the younger population, in some countries.6,7 Only the rising incidence over the last two decades, but Cyclopamine nmr not the recent decrease of ASR in some Asian countries, was reported in the recent Asia Pacific Consensus.8 It is thus important to re-examine the local ASR using reliable data to determine whether there is a rising risk of colorectal cancer locally and furthermore, the

age groups that are responsible for the increase, if present. For this reason, a study examining the ASR and the actual incidence of colorectal cancer in different age groups in the last two decades in Hong Kong was conducted. The trends of colorectal cancer in Hong Kong and some other countries were compared. Data of patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer during the period 1983–2006 was obtained from the Hong Kong Cancer Registry.9 The cases of colorectal cancer corresponded to the C18–C21 code of the tenth revision of the International Classification of Disease (ICD-10). The Hong Kong Cancer Registry is population-based and is a member of the International Association of Cancer Registries. It has a series of comprehensive cross-checking programs to ensure the accuracy of the Fossariinae data. This registry has access to practically all hospital/laboratory cancer data in both private and public sectors. The sources of information include: all clinical oncology centers and pathology departments in public hospitals and departments of health, discharge summaries from all public hospitals, case summaries from all radiotherapy departments in the private sector, most pathology departments/institutes in the private sector, registered deaths from the government births, deaths and marriages registry, and voluntary notification from medical practitioners. Population data during the corresponding period were obtained from the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department.