Cancer of the rectum and colon

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Abstract
Too many people who might live, die of cancer every year. The responsibility lies as much with the physician as with the lay public. The public must be persuaded to seek diagnosis early and, in doing so, to insist upon a competent and interested physician. Just as much persuasion is needed to prod the physician out of an attitude of casualness and into one of constant alertness to the existence of premalignant lesions. This will prevent such disastrous incidents, all too often seen, as cancer of the lower bowel being wrongly treated for hemorrhoids, irritable colon, spastic colon, fissure, and a variety of conditions. Such mistakes are disastrous, because the time lost spells the difference between life and death. Something must be done to advance the early recognition and treatment of these lesions regarding which the improvement over a 17-year period has been miserably scant. Granted an awareness that premalignant and malignant lesions are of common occurrence, diagnosis can be made with a high degree of accuracy. Additional effort is required to improve the percentages of 5- and 10-year cures, possibly the extension of curative resection. Ligation of arteries at a higher level, and wider dissection of lymph node-bearing areas, seem indicated. Reresection for early recurrence after primary resection may appreciably extend the life expectancy of these patients.

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