[Surgical tactics in invasive cancer of the colon].

The authors analyse the results of surgical treatment and the findings of morphological studies in 181 patients with cancer of the colon. Extended radical operative interventions were conducted in spreading of the tumor to adjacent organs and tissues in 95 (67.5%) of 140 patients. Postoperative mortality was 12.6%. Growth of the tumor into the adjacent anatomical structures was confirmed in 64.5% of cases. The prognosis of the disease was found to be determined to a greater measure by the histological structure of the tumor and metastasis to the regional lymph nodes rather than by localized spread of the tumor in patients treated by radical operation. Amendments to the formulations of stages III and IV of the clinical classification of cancer of the colon are suggested.