[A critical analysis of different outcomes in surgery of colon carcinoma]

Five-year survival rates following colon carcinoma surgery are influenced by (1) type of survival rate calculation (observed, adjusted or cancer-related, relative or age-corrected), (2) definition of carcinoma (inclusion of Tis or high grade dysplasia?), (3) distribution of proven prognostic factors, in particular R, pTNM, grading and surgeon, and (4) carefulness of histopathologic tumor classification. The impact of the surgeon, i.e. the quality of surgery, is now proven by multivariate analysis. In adjuvant treatment studies, quality assurance of surgery and pathology is indispensable.