Colloid carcinoma of the colon and rectum

To determine the clinicopathologic significance of colloid carcinoma in carcinoma of the colon and rectosigmoid/rectum, a retrospective review of 462 patients who underwent potentially curative surgery at the New England Deaconess Hospital was performed. Seventy-seven patients (17%) were identified who had tumors with some component of colloid present. Colloid carcinoma occurred in 49 (11%). The remaining 28 (6%) had adenocarcinoma with colloid features. Compared to patients with pure adenocarcinoma, the 5-year actuarial survival of patients with colloid carcinoma was lower in the colon, rectosigmoid/rectum, and colorectum. Patterns of failure, expressed as the actuarial incidence of failure at 5 years, were examined by histologic condition and stage. Patients with Dukes' Stage B colloid carcinoma had a higher incidence of total failure, and patients with Dukes' Stage C colloid carcinoma had a higher incidence of local, abdominal, and total failure. None of the differences reached statistical significance. The presence of colloid carcinoma may have a real but small impact on the patterns of failure and survival in colorectal cancer.