[Surgical therapy of carcinoma of the colon and rectum (author's transl)].

Carcinoma of the colon and rectum have a much better prognosis and a higher 5 years survival rate than other tumors of the gastro-intestinal tract. In spite of this, further improvements in therapy seem to be possible; cure rates could be improved by early diagnosis, and by a combination of 3 forms of therapy: preoperative X-ray therapy, radical surgery involving colon or rectum plus regional lymph-nodes, and adequate chemotherapy. A special problem is iso- and metachronic multiplicity. Recurrent disease may be diagnosed early enough by careful postoperative controls especially during the first postoperative year and can be managed surgically with good results.