Operative treatment of colorectal cancer

Abstract

Principles of radical surgery for curative treatment of colon and rectal cancer are based on 5‐year survival and 2‐year local recurrence rates. Depth of invasion, cellular differentiation, vascular invasion, and the location and number of lymph node metastasis influence the 5‐year survival rate. Age, type of resection, obstruction or perforation of the primary tumor, and the surgeon's technique influence the 2‐year local recurrence rate. Accordingly, high ligation of major vascular pedicle, tumor‐free margins, resection of contiguous organs, and oophorectomy should improve survival and an additional benefit may be derived from complete excision of distal mesorectum and the “no–touch isolation technique”. Copyright © 1992 American Cancer Society