Carcinoma of the colon and rectum. Results of treatment in 284 cases.

Survival among 284 patients treated for colorectal cancer in the period 1971-1975 is reviewed. Surgery was performed in 93% of the total series, with curative intent in 55%. The crude and the corrected 5-year survival rates were 28 and 36% for all the patients and 51 and 64%, respectively, in the group with curative surgery. Dukes' classification (A, B, C) gave corrected 5-year survival rates of 92, 71 and 35%. No patient who underwent no or only palliative surgery, or whose tumour was non-classifiable according to Dukes, survived for five years. For patients admitted on emergency indications the crude 5-year survival was significantly lower than for those electively admitted (18 v. 33%). The recurrence rate among the patients treated with curative intent was 36% at the end of five years (24% in colonic and 49% in rectal cancer). The postoperative mortality (within 30 days of surgery) was 11% for all the patients and 6% in the curative surgery group.