Background and purpose: The risk of recurrence for colorectal cancer after curative surgery is up to 30%-40%. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between time to relapse (TTR) of colorectal cancer with clinical pathological parameters and overall survival after recurrence. Methods: We carried out the analysis of clinical data

pathological examination and follow up information of 375 colorectal cancer patients who admitted to Liaoning Cancer Hospital. Patients were categorized into relapse at 2

2-5 and 5 years following their initial surgery. Results: TTR was associated with the clinical stage at diagnosis and liver or lung metastasis status. Short TTR (2 years) was positively associated with survival. However

there was no significant difference in survival between patients who relapsed at 5 years or later compared with those who relapsed between 2 and 5 years. Conclusion: TTR within 2 years is an important predictor of shorter survival for colorectal cancer patients who experienced a relapse.