DURATION OF SYMPTOMS AND PROGNOSIS OF CARCINOMA OF COLON AND RECTUM

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  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 144  (6) , 883-886
Abstract
The symptomatic history in 335 instances of carcinoma of the colon and rectum was compared with the long term survival of the patients. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to the duration of symptoms recorded on admission to the hospital. There was a significantly higher incidence of resections for cure in those who had symptoms for < 5 mo. duration, but the long term survival of patients was not significantly related to the duration of symptoms. The pathologic findings suggested that patients presenting early had more virulent or biologically active tumors, and the onset of symptoms in these patients more frequently included complaints of abdominal pain and multiple symptoms. It appears that the prognosis of carcinoma of the colon and rectum is determined by the biologic behavior of the primary tumor rather than the length of the symptomatic illness, and it also appears that the earlier diagnosis of symptomatic patients may result in comparatively small gains in the survival rate.

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