[Recurrence of rectal cancer (author's transl)].

36 cases of recurrent rectal cancer are reported. There is a wide-spread spectrum in the appearance of the relapse. Indirect symptoms are dominating. The most frequent of them are caused by obstruction of the bowl or the urinary pathways and by irritation of (lumbo-) sacral nerves. Especially rare manifestations are stressed. Often they are hardly regarded early symptoms of the recurrent cancer. Curative therapy was made 5-times by amputation, 2-times by resection of an anastomosial recurrence. 3 of these patients reach a survival rate over 18 months until now. An isolated pulmonary late-metastasis was removed by lobectomy; this patients shows no recurrence for the last 3 years. Palliative procedures took place in 20 patients. The worth of radiation therapy is to be seen in a (temporary) reduction of pain. Chordotomy remains as ultima ratio for uninfluencable pain.