Colorectal carcinoma: a prospect clinicopathological study.

The clinical and pathological findings in 200 consecutive cases of colorectal carcinoma treated by surgical resection have been recorded and subjected to computer analysis. This is the initial report from a long-term prospective survey of this disease. The two most frequent presenting symptoms were altered bowel habit (51.5%) and bleeding (49.5%). Symptoms due to anaemia occurred in 16% of cases and acute obstruction in 13.5% of cases. The value of the various investigations in establishing the diagnosis is discusses. At the time of resection the disease had already reached an advanced stage in a majority of the patients. In 26% of cases it was known that complete resection of tumour tissue had not been achieved. A direct relationship between stage of spread and histological grade of malignancy was noted. The incidence of advanced stage, high histological grade and mucinous tumours was greatest in the right side of the colon. A study of early carcinomas has confirmed that many have arisen from benign epithelial neoplastic polyps. The significance of these observations is discussed.