To investigate the difference of clinicopathological characteristics between left and right colon cancer.

Retrospective analysis were performed in 292 patients with left or right colon cancer from 2012 to 2017, of whom 142 cases of left colon cancer were divided into LCC group and 150 cases of right colon cancer into RCC group. Statistical analysis was carried out by using spss17 software. The clinicopathological characteristics were expressed as (±s) and were examined by independent t test. The basic clinical features were examined by chi square test. A P value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

The proportion of patients over 65 years old was higher in RCC group. Patients in LCC group was more likely to undergo emergency surgery than patients in RCC group (14.8% vs. 7.3% P=0.042). There were significant differences in T4 staging, number of positive lymph nodes, total number of harvested lymph nodes, and lymph node metastasis rate between the two groups respectively (P<0.05). In RCC group, the number of lymph node metastases (positive lymph nodes) was significantly higher than that in LCC patients (P=0.034). The total number of harvested lymph nodes in RCC group of (21.8±8.9) was also significantly higher than (16.4±6.8) in LCC group (P<0.01).

The left and right colon cancer are different kinds of tumor diseases. The clinicopathological characteristics of them are significantly different. Patients with right colon cancer are more likely to have regional lymph node metastasis.