[Type and prognosis of loco-regional recurrence in rectal carcinoma: a follow-up study]

The recurrence rate after 438 curative operations for rectal carcinoma was 44.1% (193 cases). It was independent of age and sex, but correlated closely with tumour stage. Tumours in an early stage recurred rarely and late. The success of a second operation was influenced by the type of local-regional recurrence. Only three of 34 presacral recurrences were again treated surgically with cure as the aim, compared with seven of 17 anastomosis recurrences, five of eight perineal recurrences, four of six recurrences after local dissection, and all colostomy recurrences, vaginal recurrences and metachronic second tumours. The further course demonstrated that about three quarters of patients who had undergone seemingly curative operations died from their tumour. The cure rate was only 8.8% for all patients after operations for recurrence and 22.6% for those who had undergone "curative" second operations.