SYMPTOM DURATION AND SURVIVAL PROSPECTS IN CARCINOMA OF THE RECTUM

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  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 153  (3) , 321-326
Abstract
Between 1950-1978, 1228 patients were operated upon for carcinoma of the rectum. Symptom duration data were available for 1081 patients. Forty-five percent of the patients had symptoms preoperatively for < 3 mo., 22% for 3-6 mo., 15% for 6-12 mo. and 18% for 12 mo. or longer. The frequency of major symptoms did not differ significantly with increasing symptom duration. Symptom duration was not related to sex, age, tumor site within the rectum or tumor stage distribution. The proportion of curative to palliative operative procedures performed was unrelated to the duration of symptoms. The cancer specific survival rate was better for the total patient series and for those treated by curative resection if symptoms had been present for 12 mo. or longer compared with those of < 3 mo. duration, P = 0.001 and P = 0.01, respectively. Survival prospects were also better for patients with symptoms of < 6 mo. duration compared with those of 6 mo. or longer, P = 0.01 and P = 0.04, respectively. Earlier diagnosis during the symptomatic period of carcinoma of the rectum apparently cannot be expected to improve cancer specific survial rates. They direct attention to the importance of preclinical diagnosis.

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