[Palliative laser therapy of colorectal cancer with sustained local tumor removal]

Laser photocoagulation is an established palliative therapeutic method in advanced colorectal cancer. In most cases tumor obstruction of the colonic lumen and symptoms like bleeding, secretion and diarrhoea can be improved or prevented. Even curative tumor therapy of some patients has been reported, particularly in cases with superficial growth of the tumor. We report about an elderly female patient with locally advanced invasive carcinoma of the rectosigmoidal junction. This tumor and a polypoid carcinoma of the sigmoid, possibly in combination with snare resection, were persistently removed by laser photocoagulation.