[Local recurrence after colorectal cancer]

A prospective study was undertaken of the incidence, symptoms, diagnostic measures and therapy of local recurrence of colorectal carcinoma following radical surgical management. 156 (22%) out of 715 patients developed recurrence of the tumour, which was local in 90 patients. In addition, 36 patients with LR from other hospitals were treated. Half of the patients were symptom free at the time of diagnosis. 109 out of the 126 patients were treated by surgery, a radical operation being feasible in 53 cases. 50% of these have survived for at least 17 months, 30% for 36 months. The operative mortality was low (4.6%), although extensive surgery was necessary in most of the cases. The results of this study support the hypothesis that a postoperative follow-up programme for patients with colorectal cancer leads to early detection of local recurrence and improves the chance of cure by surgical treatment.