[Uniform calculation of local recurrence rates--requirement for quality management in rectal carcinoma]

The local recurrence rate is an important indicator in the quality management of rectal carcinoma. The data of the German Study Group for Colorectal Carcinoma (SGCRC) and the Erlangen Registry for Colorectal Carcinoma (ERCRC) were used to demonstrate the influence of different calculation methods on the level of local recurrence rates. The application of uniform definitions, rules and presentations is necessary to enable national and international comparisons. Only 5-year local recurrence rates allow treatment quality to be definitely judged, especially when multimodal treatment was applied.