[Reasons for the late diagnosis of rectal cancer]

At present, patients with rectal carcinoma are admitted for clinical treatment only 8-10 months following the appearance of typical symptoms. In 115 patients followed up the tumor size was on an average 5 cm. In 79 cases (68.7%) the tumor could be revealed in manual examination of the rectum, however, the correct diagnosis was established not earlier than in rectosigmoid tumors. In 81 patients (70,5%) the tumor proved to be inoperable, metastases in distant regional lymphnodes being revealed in 34 cases. Thus, only 47 of 115 patients (40.8%) were hospitalized with the lesion in prognostically favourable stages. The perspectives for improving the results consist in shortening of the period from the appearance of complaints till the onset of treatment. A prerequisite for the latter is an early diagnosis of rectal carcinoma based on a number of consecutive diagnostic procedures. In some cases, it is possible to establish the diagnosis by manual examination of the rectum. Negative results of this examination do not exclude the diagnosis of the tumor.