[Clinical outcome of 13 patients with perforated colorectal cancer]

We investigated the clinicopathological findings of 13 patients with perforated colorectal cancer. In 6 patients, the primary region affected by the cancer was the sigmoid or rectosigmoid colon, and 9 out of 13 patients had perforations at the location of the tumor itself. The Hartmann operation was performed in 5 patients, and D2 or D3 lymph node dissection was performed in 6 patients. The final stages of the 13 patients were as follows: 1 patient with stage II cancer, 5 patients with stage III cancer, and 7 patients with stage IV cancer. Postoperative death occurred in 1 patient. Five out of 7 patients with curative operations had recurrences; 2 patients had peritoneal disseminations, 2 patients had lung metastases, and 1 patient had paraaortic lymph node metastases. Even if patients underwent a curative operation, a high frequency of recurrence, especially of peritoneal dissemination, was observed. Therefore, we conclude that a careful follow-up is required.