[Developments in the diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma. Comparison of various diagnostic groups].

Epidemiological observations on colorectal cancer and the consequences of modern diagnostic methods are reported on patients treated in the Medical and Surgical Hospital of the University of Erlangen during the past 9 years. In this period the distribution of the rectal carcinomas according to the Dukes-classification was constant. Using coloscopy consequently as routine method and by proving occult intestinal bleeding as screening method, we succeeded in diagnosing colorectal carcinomas in an earlier stage of Dukes' classification.