[Therapy of recurrent colorectal cancers]

Colorectal cancers treated for cure by operative means show tumour recurrences and metastases in about 20% of the patients. Of these colon or rectal cancers 75 and 90% respectively can be only operated for palliation. These patients have a better prognosis than those operated primarily for palliation. 25% of the cases especially with suture line recurrences can be operated upon radically enough and exhibit a total five year survival rate of 50%.