Over a five year period (1981–1986), 44 consecutive patients who presented with colorectal carcinoma were studied prospectively. Forty one (93%) patients underwent surgery, 11 as an emergency. The operative mortality was 7.3% and the wound infection rate was 12.2%. Of the original 44 patients only 18 (41%) are still alive at the end of the study period. The presentation, treatment and prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer in a general hospital are discussed.
McCoyGEParksTG, Colorectal carcinoma in young patients. A 20 yr retrospective review. Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh1984; 29: 129–133.
2.
McKayFWHansonMRMillerRW. Cancer mortality in the United States: 1950–1977. National Institutes of Health Publication 82–24351982; 98–104.
3.
Cancer Research Campaign. Facts on cancer. London; Cancer Research Campaign, 1985.
4.
GillPGMorrisPJ. The survival of patients with colorectal cancer treated in a regional hospital. British Journal of Surgery1978; 65: 17–20.
5.
WhittakerMGoligherJC. The prognosis after surgical treatment for carcinoma of the rectum. British Journal of Surgery1976; 63: 384–388.
6.
HollidayHWHardcastleJD. Delay in the diagnosis and treatment of symptomatic colorectal cancer. Lancet1979; i: 309–311.
7.
FarrandsPAHardcastleJD. Colorectal screening by self-completion questionnaire. Gut1984; 25: 445–447.
8.
IrvineTTGreaneyMG. Duration of symptoms and prognosis of carcinoma of the colon and rectum. Surgery Obstetrics and Gynaecology1977; 144: 833–836.
9.
AldridgeMCPhillipsRKSHittingerRFryJSFieldingLP. Influence of tumour site on presentation, management and subsequent outcome in large bowel cancer. British Journal of Surgery1986; 73: 663–670.
10.
VellacottKDAmarSSHardcastleJD. Comparison of rigid and flexible fibreoptic sigmoidoscopy with double contrast barium enema. British Journal of Surgery1982; 69: 399–400.
11.
FarrandsPAVellacottKDAmarSSBalfourTWHardcastleJD. Flexible fibreoptic sigmoidoscopy and double contrast barium enema in the identification of adenomas and cancers of the colon. Diseases of the Colon and Rectum1983; 26: 725–729.
12.
VellacottKDSmithJHF, Mortensen NJMcC. Rising detection rate of symptomatic Dukes' A colorectal cancers. British Journal of Surgery1987; 74: 18–20.
13.
WelchJPDonaldsonGA. Recent experiences in the management of cancer of the colon and rectum. American Journal of Surgery1974; 127: 258–266.
14.
Lockhart-MummeryHERitchieJKHawleyPR. The results of surgical treatment for the carcinoma of the rectum at St Mark's Hospital from 1948 to 1972. British Journal of Surgery1976; 63: 673–677.
15.
OhmanU.Colorectal cancer — Trends and results over a 30 year period. Diseases of the Colon and Rectum1982; 25: 431–440.
16.
FrancisDMAJudsonRT. Blood transfusion and recurrence of cancer of the colon and rectum. British Journal of Surgery1987; 74: 26–30.
17.
ParrotNRLennardTWJTaylorRMRProudGShentonBKJohnstonIDA. Effect of perioperative blood transfusion on recurrence of colorectal cancer. British Journal of Surgery1986; 73: 970–973.
18.
BlumbergNHealJMurphyPAgarwalMMChuangC.Association between transfusion of whole blood and recurrence of cancer. British Medical Journal1986; 293: 530–533.
19.
ColeWH. Measures to combat the menace of cancer. Annals of Surgery1951; 17: 660–663.
20.
GoligherJCDukesCEBusseyHJR. Local recurrences after sphincter saving excisions for carcinoma of the rectum and rectosigmoid. British Journal of Surgery1951; 39: 199–211.
21.
WheelockFCTollGMcKittrickLS. An evaluation of the anterior resection of the rectum and low sigmoid. New England Journal of Medicine1959; 260: 526–530.
22.
LofgrenEPWaughJMDochertyMB. Local recurrence of carcinoma after anterior resection of the rectum and sigmoid. Archives of Surgery1957; 74: 825–838.
23.
FloydCECorkleyRGCohnI.Local recurrence of carcinoma of the colon and rectum. American Journal of Surgery1965; 109: 153–159.
24.
EnkerWELafferUTBlockGE. Enhanced survival of patients with colon and rectal cancer is based upon wide anatomic resection. Annals of Surgery1979; 190: 350–360.
25.
UmplebyHCFermorBSymesMOWilliamsonRCN. Viability of exfoliated colorectal carcinoma cells. British Journal of Surgery1984; 74: 659–663.
26.
GoligherJC. Surgery of the Anus, Rectum and Colon. 4th ed.London: Bailliere Tindall, 1980: 399–401.
27.
KillingbackMWilsonEHughesESR. Anal metastases from carcinoma of the rectum and colon. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery1965; 34: 178.
28.
WilliamsonRCN. Postoperative adaptation in the aetiology of intestinal cancer. In:RobinsonJWLDowlingRHRiekenEO, eds. Mechanisms of Intestinal Adaptation. Lancaster: MTP, 1982: 621–636.
29.
CohenJRTheileDEEvansEBQuinnRLDavisNC. Colorectal cancer at the Princess Alexandra Hospital. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery1983; 53: 113–119.
30.
StowerMJHardcastleJD. Five year survival of 1115 patients with colorectal cancer. Gut1983; 24: A1010.
31.
SchofieldPFWalshSTweedleDEF. Survival after treatment of carcinoma of the rectum. British Medical Journal1986; 293: 496–497.
32.
SlaneyG.Results of treatment of carcinoma of the colon and rectum. In:IrvineW, ed. Modern trends in surgery 3. London: Butterworths, 1971: 69–89.
33.
PezimMENichollsRJ. Survival after high or low ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery during curative surgery for rectal cancer. Annals of Surgery1984; 200: 729–733.
34.
GlassRGRitchieJKThompsonHRMannCV. The results of surgical treatment of cancer of the rectum by radical resection and extended abdomino-iliac lymphadenectomy. British Journal of Surgery1985; 72: 599–601.
35.
MRC Working Party. MRC Pre- and post-operatiave radiotherapy rectal cancer trials. Personal Communication Update.
36.
TornqvistAEkelundGLeanderL.Value of intensive follow-up after curative resection for colorectal carcinoma. British Journal of Surgery1982; 69: 725–728.
