[Clinically unrecognized colorectal cancers? An autopsy study]

The aim of our study was to discover pathomorphological features of clinically undetected colorectal carcinomas in autopsy material. Out of 400 colorectal carcinomas from the periods of 1960 to 1966 and 1981 to 1983 126 (32%) of all carcinomas remained clinically undetected during lifetime of the patients. In 1/3 of these cases the clinician did not suggest a malign neoplasm, in the other 2/3 a malignant neoplasm of unknown or false origin was assigned. 44% of the right-sided colon carcinomas, 36% of the left-sided colon carcinomas and 22% of the rectal carcinomas remained clinically undetected. At the time of autopsy in 10 cases (13%) a second malignant neoplasm far from the colorectal region could be demonstrated. In 104 cases (82%) the colorectal carcinoma was the cause of death. 18% of the colorectal carcinomas were an additional finding at autopsy, independent of the cause of death.