[Possibilities for operative therapy of carcinoma of the large intestine (author's transl)].

Tumors of the colon and rectum belong to the most frequent malignant diseases in the German Federal Republic. Only operative therapy ensures an optimal rate of success. In metastasizing and advanced local tumors, additional chemotherapy and radiotherapy should be taken into consideration. Also, preoperative radiotherapy may improve the chances of a cure in rectal carcinoma. An exact classification of the tumor is essential for a reliable prognosis. The Dukes tumor classification, still frequently used today, is inadequate for clinical application. Since the UICC has withdrawn the proposed classification for tumors of the colon and rectum, the Heidelberg proposed classification is presented, which is based on the degree of infiltration of the primary tumor and on the degree of metastatic dissemination.