Changing distribution of primary cancers in the large bowel
- 10 October 1977
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Medical Association (AMA) in JAMA
- Vol. 238 (15) , 1641-1643
- https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.238.15.1641
Abstract
Analysis of the changing distribution of origin site of 1,990 colorectal cancers observed at a large midwestern hospital shows a statistically significant trend of a decreasing percentage of distal (rectum,P=.0192) and an increasing percentage of proximal (cecum,P=.0015) large-bowel lesions during a period of at least 30 years. Mortality data for 11,635 colorectal cancers in the state of Kansas for this period confirm this trend (P<.0001). The respective decrease and increase may well be the result of more than one factor. Results of digital examination of the rectum and sigmoidoscopy are less likely to diagnose large-bowel cancer as they did 30 years ago. Stool screening for occult blood, barium enema roentgenographic examination, and colonoscopy become more important diagnostic tools in light of this trend. (JAMA238:1641-1643, 1977)This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: