Carcinoma of the Colon and Rectum—Growth Rate

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Abstract
Twenty-seven carcinomas of the [human] colon or rectum are presented which could retrospectively be measured on radiographs at 2 separate occasions. The mean diameter of the tumors at 1st and 2nd investigations was 35 mm (10-90 mm) and 65 mm (30-110 mm), respectively, and the median interval between these examinations was 11 mo. (4-91 mo.). The median linear growth rate was 0.083 mm/day (0.008-0.262 mm/day). The median time for doubling of tumor volume was 130 days (53-1570 days), assuming a 3-dimensional pattern of tumor growth. A significant correlation between poor differentiation and high linear growth rate (.gtoreq. 0.1 mm/day) was found. It is suggested that the high growth rate observed in this investigation in comparison with some previous studies may be due to the large size of the tumors and, hence, to their great risk of being malignant already at the 1st examination.