Proctoscopy is mandatory for all symptomatic patients. Could an high risk population be determined, the incidence of anal cancer could fall. By contrast, rectal cancer is one of the most frequent and its prognosis has not been improved. Apropos of 5 cases. There follows a discussion based upon the literature of epidemiological, clinical, histopathological and therapeutic aspects.
Surgery is the treatment of choice but there is major controversy regarding the best method.
The decisive prognostic factor appears to be the stage of the disease rather than the type of treatment. The role of radiotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy remains to be evaluated. TX TI - Methods to decrease the morbidity of abdominoperineal resection. Thirty-five patients underwent an abdominoperineal resection for cancer at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Los Angeles, from January 1989 to December 1993. All patients, except two, had their perineal wound closed after closure of the peritoneum and insertion of closed system suction catheters.