[Is an early diagnosis of neoplastic processes of the rectum possible?]

The better operative results and lasting cure of malignant tumors can be ascribed to early detection rather than to the improvement of surgical techniques. In the cancer of the breast and gynecological carcinoma the importance of early detection has been more emphasized than in cancers of other location. On a total of 5210 rectoscopies performed the authors detected 285 malignant tumors of the rectum. On the average the diagnosis was made 9 months after the appearance of the first symptoms. In 74% of cases the tumors were detected already by the digital examination, while in 46.9% of the rest of the patients inoperable carcinoma was involved. By obligatory digital examination in all cases of "hemorrhoidal" complaints and additional rectoscopy neoplasms of the rectum can be detected at an early time and more patients can be afforded lasting cure.