[Significance of preventive examination for the prognosis of cancer of the large intestine].

Since screening for colorectal carcinoma was started in Germany (rectal digital palpation 1971, test for occult blood in stool 1977) the rate of early stage Dukes A in more than 3600 cases of colorectal carcinoma has increased significantly by 30%. The history of the disease has shortened and the number of inoperable patients has diminished by 10%.