Local recurrence following curative resection for carcinoma of the rectum

One hundred ninety-three patients had curative resections for carcinoma of the rectum between January 1971 and December 1979. Nineteen patients developed local recurrence (9.8 per cent): 5/95 after abdominoperineal excision (5.2 per cent) and 14/98 after anterior resection (14.3 per cent). There was no difference in the overall survival rate between the two operations, but there was a trend toward decreased survival for patients who developed local recurrence. Metastatic spread to the lymph nodes increased the risk of local recurrence.