[Early detection of rectal cancer (author's transl)].

There is an urgent need for earlier detection of colon cancer, because surgical procedures did not improve the therapeutic results. On the other side the incidence of those tumors is increasing. Early detection should be improved by better education of students, careful anamnesis, regular rectal examination in the basic medical care, more frequent use of rectoscopy without special preparation, wide use of tests for occult blood, life-long control of patients bowel adenomas and polypectomy in any case.