The Operative Treatment of Carcinoma Recti.

PURPOSE Review of pathological anatomy of the carcinoma recti in its relation to the nature of the operation necessary for removal of the growth in early XX th century. METHODS We searched BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL (1910) using the medical subject headings “carcinoma recti” and “operative treatment”. CONCLUSION Rectal cancer rate of malignancy in elder patients is not high. The prognosis is better in high growths than in low ones, so in low growths no attempt must be made to save the anal canal or sphincters. The patient with rectal cancer has 4/5 chances of recovering from operation, and caught fairly early quite a good chance of surviving some years without recurrence. The combined abdominoperineal operation was first introduced as the ideal radical operation for rectal cancer as fulfilling all the requirements of cancer surgery.